NRL: Carney calls for quick end to drug crisis

Cronulla standoff Todd Carney is concerned about the emotional toll at the Sharks. Photo / Getty Images

Playmaker's wish unlikely to be granted as ASADA investigation could take a month

Cronulla standoff Todd Carney says the Sharks need the drug crisis engulfing the club resolved as soon as possible, admitting the side can't play on emotion all season.

The Sharks put the most dramatic week in the NRL club's history to one side as they beat Gold Coast Titans 12-10 at Sharks Stadium in an emotion-charged performance on Sunday night.

But as the squad gathered for yesterday's recovery session, the reality that as many as 14 players still have the threat of a drugs ban hanging over their heads again hit home.

Interim coach Peter Sharp admitted his players were under enormous mental anguish as they took the field for the Titans contest.

"It's all emotional and the thing is for us we can't rely on emotion for the rest of the year and that's why we want it resolved as soon as possible," Carney said.

A quick resolution is unlikely, however, with the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority's (ASADA) investigation into the club likely to last for another four weeks.

The impact of last week's dramatic culling of four staff members was still being felt with the club confirming sacked football manager Darren Mooney had been admitted to hospital with stress-related problems.

Pressure is also mounting on club chairman Damian Irvine to step down after he claimed players had been injected with horse drugs in 2011.

The issues facing the Sharks are being felt around the NRL with Parramatta superstar Jarryd Hayne saying he was sickened by the doping crisis, but "for the fans to march and really support the area, I think it's just great for league and for the shire area."

•Prop Sam Burgess will miss South Sydney's round-two NRL match against Cronulla after submitting an early guilty plea to a high-tackle charge. The England international was hit with a grade-one careless high-tackle charge for a 57th-minute shot on Roosters halfback Mitchell Pearce in the Rabbitohs round-one win over their arch-rivals.

- AAP