Carney signs 2007 Gold Coast deal

The Great Britain Test winger still has a year of his contract to run at Wigan, but a second Australian club, the Newcastle Knights, are trying to negotiate him out of that so that he can play for them for a year before linking up with Gold Coast for a further two years.

"He's highly regarded by most as the best winger in the game," said the Gold Coast's executive director, Michael Searle, who said that the 28-year-old Irishman had taken a big pay-cut to sign for the club.

"The guy really wanted to come here. He wants to challenge himself in the NRL," he added.

Carney, who joins Andy Farrell and, in all probability, Kris Radlinski, in leaving the JJB, is in Wigan's side for tonight's derby at Leigh, defeat in which would bring them closer to a genuine threat of relegation.

He is joined by David Vaealiki, who has recovered from a shoulder injury, and Liam Botham, who was cup-tied for the thrashing by St Helens last weekend, but Kevin Brown is out for six weeks with an ankle injury.

Leigh could have Oliver Wilkes back after a shoulder operation which was thought to have put him out for the season.

The Super League leaders, Leeds, have decided against bringing Matt Diskin back into their first team for the first time this season following his shoulder reconstruction, but tonight's opponents, Bradford, will have a new hooker in the Australian Ian Henderson.

His brother, the former South Sydney and Newcastle centre or second-rower, Kevin Henderson, who started the season with Leigh, has now joined Wakefield.

Widnes have agreed new contracts with Simon Finnigan and Mark Smith.