"There are things within the NRL contract, a process that needs to be followed, and it is clear as day what you have to do, and that is send a breach notice. That then gives the player five days' notice to attend to that and appear before the board.

"None of this has been followed and he has just been treated with complete disrespect. Regardless of the issue, I think everyone deserves a fair hearing. I think Todd would have been able to get a better hearing from a group and a board by being able to front them. I have actually been told from two members of the board who have personally approached me that they weren't even consulted on this, which amazes me."

The Sharks announced Carney's sacking at about 6.30pm last Sunday – less than 24 hours after a vulgar photo of the former NSW Origin five-eighth was posted on Twittter at about 10.45 the night before.

Despite mid-afternoon reports that the Cronulla chairman Damian Keogh and other directors had decided to sack Carney during a phone hook-up, Riolo said Sharks chief executive Steve Noyce told Carney just before the media release was issued that no decision would be made until Monday. He also revealed that Carney's teammates had been "gagged" from commenting on his sacking.

"There were all different things being said and being leaked from their board and allegedly from their chairman," Riolo said. "I know different board members spoke to people in the press to say he was gone, it was on Twitter that he was gone but Steve Noyce was assuring me that wasn't the case and that a decision would be made later in the day. Steve Noyce spoke to Todd in the evening and effectively said 'we will sleep on it', and within 20 minutes there was an email gone around to the players that there was a big announcement coming and none of them were allowed to comment, so they were effectively gagging the players.