NRL: Roosters star Carney's comeback from obscurity to world's best

Todd Carney. Photo / Getty Images

Australian and Sydney Roosters star Todd Carney last night completed a stunning transformation from park football to the world's best player in the space of 12 months after being named the RLIF international player of the year at Auckland's Eden Park.

The playmaker, who spent the 2009 season rebuilding his life and his career playing district football for the North Queensland town of Atherton, was honoured for a memorable NRL season in which he won the Dally M Medal as player of the year and helped lift the Sydney Roosters from the wooden-spoon to the NRL Grand Final.

Carney, who was also named international five-eighth of the year, becomes the third Australian in the three-year history of the awards to win the top honour , following Billy Slater in 2008 and Jarryd Hayne in 2009.

Wigan's Sam Tomkins was named rookie of the year while St George Illawarra's Wayne Bennett was named international coach of the year.

AWARD WINNERS

Player of year: Todd Carney (Sydney Roosters)
Coach of the year: Wayne Bennett (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Rookie of the year: Sam Tomkins (Wigan Warriors)
Fullback of the year: Darius Boyd (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Winger of the year: Pat Richards (Wigan Warriors)
Centre of the year: Shaun Kenny-Dowall (Sydney Roosters)
Five-eighth of the year: Todd Carney (Sydney Roosters)
Halfback of the year: Scott Prince (Gold Coast Titans)
Prop of the year: Adrian Morley (Warrington Wolves)
Hooker of the year: Robbie Farah (Wests Tigers)
Second-rower of the year: Gareth Ellis (Wests Tigers)
Lock of the year: Luke Lewis (Penrith Panthers)
Referee of the year: joint award - Tony Archer (Australia) and Richard Silverwood (England)
Spirit of rugby league award: Ron McGregor