Following two positive results from roadside drug tests last month, Josh Addo-Carr was fired by NRL team Canterbury with immediate effect. The Australian Test winger was forced to address the Bulldogs board of directors on Thursday, explaining why his contract shouldn’t be terminated.
It happened after the 29-year-old was pulled over by NSW Police in September, a week out from the club’s first finals games in eight years.
A further sample yielded the same result, and the 15-time NSW State of Origin representative failed the roadside test.
Addo-Carr has insisted that he did not intentionally consume recreational drugs and that he had a glimmer of hope that Canterbury powerbrokers would grant him a reprieve.
In a statement to the Sydney Morning Herald, Addo-Carr said, “I want to start by thanking the fans for making me feel so welcome at the club. I came to the Bulldogs at their lowest point to make a change.”
“I want to start by thanking the fans for making me feel so welcome at the club,” Addo-Carr said in a statement to the Sydney Morning Herald. When the Bulldogs were at their lowest, I came to help them turn things around.
Due to the winger’s failure to adhere to the club’s standards, Bulldogs chairman Adam Druissi stated that they decided to end his contract.
Josh has contributed significantly to our team for the last three seasons,” the statement read.
He has given our members and supporters a lot of unforgettable moments over this period.
“We recognize Josh’s appeal to our ardent fan base, and we sympathize with their disappointment that his tenure with the team has come to an end in this manner.
But this season has shown how crucial it is to create a culture founded on unambiguous rules and principles.
“The club believes that Josh’s failed drug test and subsequent lack of transparency constitute grave violations of both our club’s standards and his contractual obligations, even though the NRL Integrity Unit has concluded its investigation and imposed a four-match suspension.”
Canterbury will remove nearly $500,000 from their wage limit by firing Addo-Carr at a time when the NRL transfer market is about to go into overdrive.
Addo-Carr will probably have a number of suitors, although he might not fetch the highest price he did in 2021 when he was enticed to Belmore from Melbourne.
Since his second good reading was made public, the winger has been allowed to talk with rivals, but he hasn’t been able to find a new home.
In the 2025 season, Addo-Carr will have to play the final three games of his four-game suspension. In addition to his NRL suspension, he was fined $15,000.
Samoan prop Terrell May has been informed by the Roosters that he is free to depart one year before the conclusion of his contract.
The Sydney Morning Herald claims that the strong front-rower can accept another contract elsewhere, even though he was set to begin the first year of a two-season extension worth nearly $900,000.
While Canberra is looking for a prop, St George Illawarra and Wests Tigers are looking for more forwards and will be eager to sign May.
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