Carney incident was a 'prank', says manager

The manager of disgraced Shark Todd Carney has leapt to his defence declaring he did not drink his own urine during the infamous "bubbler" photo.

Player manager David Riolo said the incident was merely a stunt and that Carney had never intended on the photo becoming public.

"It’s a setup, like when people stand in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa," Riolo told radio station 2UE.

"Todd’s paid a very, very heavy price for a photo that he didn’t want out there or upload himself.

"It was supposed to be kept between mates."

Riolo's robust defence came as Carney's former teammates left a two-hour crisis meeting at Cronulla's home ground, Remondis Stadium, where it is understood they expressed their dismay over his sacking.

The team cancelled a 9am training session because an official declared players were "not in the right head space".

Riolo said Carney felt betrayed by his sacking.

He also revealed the person who took the infamous photo inside a public toilet, was a friend of the former Sharks five-eighth.

"I use that word (friend) loosely," he said.

"The person who took the photo contacted me this morning by text and said 'My phone got lost' - supposedly - and that’s how the photo got out.

"It was meant to be a joke."

Riolo said the incident should not have been a sacking offence adding that the club acted too quickly.

"He’s now got a photo of himself gone worldwide in not a very pleasant setting that’s going to be on the net for his family and everyone to see for future generations," Riolo said.

"That in itself is a very big price to pay.”Riolo denied Carney had committed two previous, potentially more serious breaches of Cronulla’s code of conduct earlier this year that may have made this weekend’s sacking inevitable.

"There’s been no serious allegations that I’m aware of that have come across my desk in writing," he said. “I get 1000 emails every time Todd steps out.”