Carney is expected to serve a statement of claim against the Sharks this week and argue he wasn't afforded "procedural fairness" from Cronulla's management after a photograph circulated on social media of him performing a "vulgar act".

The former representative player, who signed a three-year-deal with Catalans in the English Super League on Tuesday night, was photographed in the bathroom of a Cronulla nightclub urinating towards his mouth.

He was sacked from the club the day after the photo was released. However, it's claimed Carney and his manager David Riolo learned of the decision via a phone call after the press release was issued.

Riolo reportedly wrote to the NRL at the time claiming the Sharks did not follow the correct protocol for dealing with disciplinary issues as agreed in the collective bargaining agreement between the NRL and the Rugby League Players' Association. "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," he said last year. "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."

Carney will argue he wasn't given an opportunity to respond to the complaint in the terms and accordance of Clause 8.1 of the standard NRL contract.

The clause says if a player is accused of bringing the game into disrepute the club will call upon the player (in writing) to appear before the board within five business days to show cause why no action should be taken.

Subsequent to an appeal through the NRL's appeal committee Carney's contract was again terminated in April of this year.

Barrister Levick said Carney, who extended his $700,000 a year deal with Cronulla until the end of 2018 shortly before he was axed, said she'd been appointed to act for the footballer. "The Sharks will shortly be served a statement of claim claiming  damages under the contract," she told Fairfax Media on Wednesday.

Carney, who was twice sacked by Cronulla's then chief executive Steve Noyce - firstly at the Sydney Roosters and then the Sharks  - had a chequered NRL history.

In 2008 after a series of alcohol-related issues he was sacked by Canberra after it was alleged he urinated on a parton's head in a local nightclub.

He spent 2009 playing A grade football in North Queensland before returning to the NRL in 2010 when he helped guide the Roosters to the grand final.

He was sacked from the Roosters in 2011 for breaking a club-issued alcohol ban.

Cronulla's press release said Carney joined the club fully aware of his responsibilities on the field, to the club and himself.