#156: Todd Carney (Rugby League) Rollercoaster to Redemption

In this episode of Scoreboard, Chris Titley sits down with Todd Carney for one of the most raw and reflective conversations on the podcast to date. A former NRL star now working as a pathways coach with the Gold Coast Titans, Todd speaks openly about the highs of professional rugby league and the very public lows that followed. Todd describes rugby league as the greatest rollercoaster of his life. It gave him success, identity and opportunity, but also shame, heartache and lessons he had to learn the hard way. He revisits the turning point that changed everything, the drive to rehab on the 24th of February, a moment he now calls his true Scoreboard moment.From that day forward he committed to sobriety, rebuilding trust and redefining who he wanted to be as a father, husband and mentor. The conversation goes deep into discipline and selfishness in high performance sport. Todd argues that young rugby league players must be selfish in the right way if they want to make it, prioritising the game over distractions, ego and temptation. He reflects on alcohol, gambling and the environment that can swallow talented athletes, explaining how central alcohol was to his downward spiral and why removing it changed everything. Now approaching 40, Todd talks about fatherhood, routine and daily habits that keep him grounded. Early morning training, cold showers, structured sleep and one day at a time thinking are his anchors. He is honest about slip ups, about the ongoing work required to stay sober, and about accepting that his past will always be part of his story. This episode is not just about rugby league. It is about accountability, identity and second chances. Todd does not hide from the mistakes that defined headlines, but instead uses them as tools to guide the next generation. His message is simple: if you are going to chase the dream, commit fully, own your decisions, and never ignore the moment you know something needs to change. If you follow rugby league or care about the human side of elite sport, this is a powerful listen.🔗 Show notesThis episode was Powered by Swyftx — Where can crypto take you?👉 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://swyftx.com/about/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join over 1.5m users in Australia and NZThe Do You Budget Segment is powered by PocketSmith.PocketSmith is personal finance software made for the household CFO — the one keeping the family budget on track, making sure the bills are paid, and the big goals are in sight. PocketSmith’s got a special offer for Scoreboard listeners: get 50% off your first two months of PocketSmith’s Foundation plan. 👉  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.pocketsmith.com/scoreboard/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Video and photography production for business marketing, corporate and social media content, and conference and event coverage servicing Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and offshore by request - Contact Rob Williams [email protected] or+61 0407 725 759More info:📌 More episodes: ⁠⁠www.scoreboardpodcast.com⁠⁠🎥 YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@Scoreboardpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📩 Partnerships: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]