Sydney Roosters star Todd Carney is set to start his NRL season from the interchange bench against Manly on Sunday.

The Dally M medallist will turn impact player as he makes his comeback from a tumultuous off-season.

Carney's 2011 preparations were interrupted by groin surgery, then threatened by a drink driving charge that was an unwanted throwback to his bad old days of off-field drama.

If the five-eighth can recover and train for the round two fixture, he will take his place amongst the Roosters' subs.

Well-travelled prop Jason Ryles said Carney's inclusion would add to the Roosters' focus, after they were given a fright by the Rabbitohs on the first night of the season.

"It will be (a boost) if he does play, he's not 100 per cent yet, but we'll wait and see how he pulls up the next two days and go from there," Ryles said before training on Friday.

"Todd Carney in any team's a great boost so we're looking forward to him playing hopefully."

As for the novelty of the 2010's best player starting on the bench, Ryles said it would help prevent 24-year-old Carney from being rushed.

"He'd be pretty good no matter whether he starts or comes off the bench or anything like that," said Ryles.

"He won the Dally M last year so it speaks volumes for the type of player he is, and he's one of our key players.

"We certainly don't want to be rushing him in round two, but if he's ready he's ready, if he's not we've got players who can cover the position."

Carney has been car-pooling with fellow Coogee residents Jake Friend and Nate Myles in lieu of his DUI episode, and Ryles laughingly confirmed the trio had not been late for training.

"Nah, we've got no dramas with that," he said.

"He's very dedicated to his training and that sort of thing, hence the player he is."

Roosters coach Brian Smith delivered a stinging post-match critique of his players' less-disciplined moments against South Sydney in an attempt to snap any early season lethargy.

"I can't repeat what he said but he certainly got to the point pretty quickly," said Ryles.

"We're back into the swing of it, particularly after the scare we had last weekend.

"Hopefully that doesn't happen this weekend, we worked pretty hard on it and we think we've addressed it."

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