BY CURTIS WOODWARD

According to reports coming out of France, Todd Carney was given a release from his Catalans Dragons contract to return to Australia in an attempt to sign with another Dragons club in St George Illawarra.

A decision on Carney’s registration will fall to the NRL who would need to greenlight the return.

The Dragons have been watching the Kieran Foran situation at the New Zealand Warriors very closely and believe they have as much right to sign Carney as the Warriors do with Foran.

Dragons coach Paul McGregor is under immense pressure to keep his job and is desperate to sign another star playmaker to go partner Gareth Widdop.

Club officials are still split on whether Drew Hutchinson is ready to lead a first grade team and are prepared to publicly announce Carney’s signing much like the Warriors did with Foran.

Carney was sacked by Cronulla for a number of indiscretions but seem like child’s play compared to the serious nature of what’s happened off the field with the embattled Foran who is already training with the Warriors in Auckland.

@woodward_curtis