North Queensland have expressed their disappointment over a young Cowboys player who was charged following an assault on sacked NRL star Todd Carney.

Cowboys forward Nick Slyney, 20, was this week fined $300 by a Townsville magistrate for public nuisance for his part in an incident at Atherton, near Cairns, in early May.

No conviction was recorded.

Carney suffered a black eye and bruising when he was assaulted by a group of men outside an Atherton hotel about 2am on May 10.

The court was told Slyney was caught up in a street melee at the time Carney was assaulted.

"The fact that Todd Carney was involved doesn't matter, we were just disappointed that Nick got himself in the situation," Cowboys boss Peter Parr said.

"But there are two sides to every story."

Parr said the Cowboys had also punished Slyney over the incident.

"We have dealt with that," he said.

"We took some disciplinary action against Nick at the time.

"We informed the NRL and everyone was happy with the action taken and we have moved on, end of story."

Slyney - an Atherton-born, Townsville-based youngster - was plucked from obscurity by the Cowboys last season and played three NRL games.

Carney lives and works in Atherton after being sacked by Canberra last season for a string of alcohol-related incidents.

He signed a one-year deal with Cairns District Rugby League club the Atherton Roosters for 2009.

As part of the deal, Carney lives and works at an Atherton hotel.

However, he is expected to be unveiled as a new signing for NRL club the Sydney Roosters soon.

Carney has been a hit on the field for Atherton, helping them to a share of the Cairns league ladder lead after inspiring a 58-28 weekend win over Innisfail.

He scored two tries, set up another with a kick and booted eight goals while watched by his mother Leanne last Saturday night.

His mother will soon move from Goulburn to Atherton and work with her son at the hotel's restaurant.

Carney works a 40 hour week at the hotel which is owned by Roosters president Mick Nasser.

The Roosters boss said he had had no problems with Carney since his arrival three months ago.

But he admitted Carney sometimes had a target on his head when he went out at night on weekends.

"Women love him and men are jealous," Nasser said.

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