From ‘bubbling’ bad boy to baby daddy: The redemption of troubled NRL star Todd Carney

Todd Carney made headlines for all the wrong reasons in 2014 after he was sacked mid-season by the Cronulla Sharks following his infamous ‘bubbler’ incident.

The former NRL player, now 34, sensationally had his $3million contract torn up after an image went viral of him appearing to urinate in his own mouth at a Sydney pub.

But despite having his promising career shattered by a drunken mistake, Todd has managed to turn it all around – and he’s now happier than ever and expecting his first child with his fiancée, ex-Married At First Sight bride Susie Bradley.

From rock bottom all the way to the top! Former NRL star Todd Carney is expecting his first child with fiancée Susie Bradley – years after a tumultuous sporting career filled with headline-making scandals 

The heavily tattooed star has ditched rugby league for a new career as a concreter, and has several properties and businesses both on the Gold Coast and in Bali, where he also owns a villa and a tattoo parlour.

Proving how far he’s come since 2014, he admitted in September that he had ‘no regrets’ about the bubbler incident, telling the Sunday Telegraph the scandal had made him ‘more of a resilient person and comfortable with who I am’.

While he’s in a good place now, it has certainly been a rocky road for Todd over the past decade.

Even before his notorious viral photo, his bad boy antics led him to being dropped by the Canberra Raiders and the Sydney Roosters, thanks to a string of off-field misdemeanors.

In July 2008, Carney was alleged to have urinated on a man at a Canberra nightclub. The complaint was later withdrawn, though Carney was sacked from the Raiders the following month.

Sacked: The rugby star was sensationally dumped from the Cronulla Sharks and had his $3million contract torn up after an image when viral of him appearing to urinate in his own mouth in a pub bathroom at Northies nightclub

Sacked: The rugby star was sensationally dumped from the Cronulla Sharks and had his $3million contract torn up after an image when viral of him appearing to urinate in his own mouth in a pub bathroom at Northies nightclub 

No looking back: Todd recently admitted that he has 'no regrets' about the 'bubbler' incident, telling the Sunday Telegraph it made him 'more of a resilient person and comfortable with who I am'

No looking back: Todd recently admitted that he has ‘no regrets’ about the ‘bubbler’ incident, telling the Sunday Telegraph it made him ‘more of a resilient person and comfortable with who I am’ 

Moving on: The heavily-inked hunk has ditched his sporting days for a new career as a concreter, and has several properties and business ventures both on the Gold Coast and in Bali - where where he owns a villa and tattoo parlour. Pictured last month

Moving on: The heavily-inked hunk has ditched his sporting days for a new career as a concreter, and has several properties and business ventures both on the Gold Coast and in Bali – where where he owns a villa and tattoo parlour. Pictured last month  

He was also alleged to have set a man’s pants on fire at a New Year’s Eve party in 2009, and faced a low-range drink driving charge in 2011. The Roosters stood him down the same year.

Cronulla swooped in to pick up the embattled star and signed him in October 2011 – but just three years down the track, the ‘bubbler’ photo would finally end his career.

Optimistically, Todd said in September this year: ‘I’ve got a tattoo that says, “Everything happens for a reason.” I believe it does.

‘I wouldn’t have played for the Roosters if I didn’t get in trouble at the Raiders. I wouldn’t have played at Cronulla if I didn’t get in trouble at the Roosters.’ 

Love is love:  Susie, who got engaged to Todd in October after getting together in January 2019, is already mother to daughter Baby from a previous relationship

Love is love:  Susie, who got engaged to Todd in October after getting together in January 2019, is already mother to daughter Baby from a previous relationship

With his sporting career behind him, Todd seems to be living his best life.

On Wednesday, fellow footy player Mitchell Pearce let slip in an interview with the 257 Collective podcast that his friend was about to become a father.

After heaping praise on his former Newcastle Knights teammate, Mitchell said: ‘[Todd’s] going well now, he’s killing it, having a baby and everything, he’s on fire.’

Todd had dropped a major hint Susie, 27, was pregnant on Tuesday when he uploaded a photo to Instagram of himself, Susie and her five-year-old daughter, Baby, alongside a very telling caption.

Hint: On Tuesday, Todd shared a photo of himself, Susie and her five-year-old daughter Baby to Instagram and wrote: 'That Christmas feeling. I love you three'

Hint: On Tuesday, Todd shared a photo of himself, Susie and her five-year-old daughter Baby to Instagram and wrote: ‘That Christmas feeling. I love you three’

‘That Christmas feeling. I love you three,’ he captioned the post, referring to three people instead of just two.

Susie, who got engaged to Todd in October after they started dating in January last year, shares custody of Baby with her ex-partner.

She rose to fame on the fifth season of Married At First Sight, which was filmed in 2018. She was paired with barista Billy Vincent in Nine’s social experiment.

Famous face: Susie rose to fame after appearing on the fifth season of Married At First Sight, which was filmed in late 2018. Pictured with ex-'husband' Billy Vincent

Famous face: Susie rose to fame after appearing on the fifth season of Married At First Sight, which was filmed in late 2018. Pictured with ex-‘husband’ Billy Vincent 

The tumultuous career of Todd Carney 

December 2006

Carney was charged with drink driving and reckless driving and had his licence suspended for five years.

May 2007

Carney was done in for drinking, driving with no licence and doing a runner from police.

He was given a 12-month good behaviour bond, banned from driving until 2012 and given 200 hours of community service.

July 2008:

Carney was alleged to have urinated on a man at a Canberra nightclub. The complaint was later withdrawn, though Carney was sacked from the Raiders the following month.

February 2009

Carney was caught up in a vandalism incident at Goulburn.

He was given a 12-month suspended sentence and alcohol counselling.

December 2009

Carney was reported to have set a man’s pants on fire at a New Year’s Eve party.

February 2011:

Carney faced a low-range drink driving charge. 

April 2011

Carney was caught drinking with teammate Anthony Watts.

August 2011

Carney is caught breaking a team agreement and found drinking with Nate Myles and Frank-Paul Nu’uausala. 

2014:

A photo leaks on social media showing Carney appearing to urinate into his mouth in a pub bathroom.