Carney, whose case returns to the Supreme Court for a directions hearing on Friday, is currently playing for French club Catalans in the English Super League. The 29-year-old is seeking the full amount of his Sharks contract - plus interest and relocations fees - less the €504,000 ($741,294) deal he is on at the Dragons.

Carney signed the biggest contract ever tabled to a Sharks player, a $3,098,3333 deal, of which $1.3 million was made up of third-party agreements. The deal, signed in May 2013, was torn up just over a year later after the former NSW and Australian playmaker was involved in the infamous "bubbler" incident that ended his NRL career. A photo of Carney, said to have been taken by an acquaintance he met at Northies Hotel, shows him urinating into, or towards, his mouth. The image, taken on June 22, 2014, made its way onto social media about a week later and quickly went viral.

According to the statement of claim, then-Cronulla CEO Stephen Noyce called Carney at about 6.15pm on June 29 to tell him he had been sacked. It's alleged the club contravened the Fair Work Act by not doing so in writing. Earlier that day, Carney is said to have expressed his desire to front the Sharks board to work out a punishment.

Carney's version of those communications are challenged in the statement of defence, which claims the Goulburn product breached the NRL Code of Conduct, including "Special Condition 7" in which he failed to:

"i. engage in no conduct whatsoever that damages or may have the tendency to damage his reputation; and

ii. at all times during the term of the playing contract maintain a reputation for high standards of personal conduct, including a reputation for respect of women and children, the responsible consumption of any alcohol that he drinks and for lawful and good behaviour generally."

The statement of defence also revealed a litany of other alleged incidents in which Carney breached his obligations, including:

- Abusing a taxi driver in July 2013 while intoxicated;

- Attending training in April 2014 "under the effect of alcohol and medication taken other than in accordance with prescription";

- Ignoring a warning about his behaviour in a letter written by the CEO the following month;

- "Habitual drunkenness"

Further, it's alleged the former Dally M medallist treated the bubbler incident "as a joke" by telling the CEO on June 29 that "[the photograph] is genuine, some bloke took it. Oh, but it is OK 'cause I didn't get any piss in my mouth."

The defence also states in relation to that incident: "Whilst under the influence of alcohol, posing and exhibiting himself to other persons in a urinal and urinating upwards and in a manner which suggested that he was urinating into his own mouth, is a disgusting and depraved act. The performance of that act in the presence of other persons was detrimental to the best interests of rugby league … [and that] impression has a tendency to turn away men, women and children and sponsors who may otherwise have supported rugby league."

The defence also claims Carney's termination was confirmed in writing and given to him on April 14 2015, with the notice stating his contract was terminated with effect from June 29, 2014.

The Sharks were the third club to sack Carney for off-field behaviour, following the Canberra Raiders and the Roosters.