Outspoken Leeds rugby league boss Gary Hetherington has reportedly urged clubs to oppose Todd Carney's move to the Super League, saying it will tarnish the competition's reputation.
The exiled NRL star has agreed to a three-year deal with French side Catalan Dragons and the move could be ratified by the Rugby Football League this week.
However UK newspaper The Sun reported on Tuesday Rhinos chief executive Hetherington had emailed rival club bosses in a bid to raise support for the move to be blocked.
"We'd be appalled if his application was granted because it would damage the integrity and profile of Super League," former England international Hetherington was alleged to have written in the email, according to The Sun.
It's not the first time Hetherington has hit out at the Super League club's signing of an axed NRL star.
He was a vocal critic when Catalan signed Australian Test star Greg Bird in 2009 after he had been released by Cronulla as he faced charges over an alleged assault.
"It is disappointing that a club should want to sign him," Hetherington said at the time.
"Our competition cannot become a dumping ground for other people's problems."
Carney has been thrown a lifeline by Catalan after being sacked by three NRL clubs.
He is even set to take the captaincy at his new club, should the move be approved.
Catalan chairman Bernard Guasch last week described the signing of Carney as a coup equal to the club's past recruits of stars including Stacey Jones, Steve Menzies and Bird.
Carney will be hoping to use a UK switch to rebuild his credibility and put the focus back on his on-field performances, a feat managed so far by another former NRL star, Joel Monaghan.
Like Carney, Monaghan left the Australian competition in disgrace after being photographed simulating a lewd act but he has been one of Super League's most outstanding players since joining Warrington in 2011.
Meanwhile, former Canterbury and Parramatta five-eighth Kris Keating is returning to Australia after being granted a release from Super League club Hull KR just 12 months into a three-year deal for compassionate reasons.
"Kris was unsettled and wanted to return home at the end of the season," Hull KR chief executive Mike Smith said.
"He didn't figure in head coach Chris Chester's long-term plans and an agreement has therefore been reached to allow him to go back to Australia."
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