After being fired by the Bulldogs on Thursday, Josh Addo-Carr praised the team’s devoted supporters for their support during his tenure at Canterbury. Following Addo Carr’s two positive results from roadside drug testing last month, the Bulldogs had no choice but to cut the winger’s contract with immediate effect.
When the Australian Test winger was made to address the Bulldogs board of directors and defend his contract, Addo-Carr’s destiny was decided. It happened a week before the team’s first finals games in eight years, in September, when NSW Police pulled over the 29-year-old. In order to avoid distracting his teammates in the days before the match, Addo-Carr kept his head down.
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 use recreational drugs, and he had hoped that Canterbury board members would grant him a respite, but that was not to be. Additionally, Addo-Carr thanked Bulldogs supporters in an emotional Instagram post on Friday morning.
“Thank you for a fantastic three years, Bulldogs family and fans. Since I came to Belmore, you have always showed me such love and support, and the memories we have made together will last a lifetime. “Thank you for your continued support, Bulldogs Sponsors and Board. I appreciate you all,” he posted on Instagram on Friday.
“I also want to thank the coaching staff and my teammates. We shall miss our time together on and off the pitch, and we created a fraternity that will endure forever. When I joined the Bulldogs in 2022, the team was in dire straits and at its lowest. Above all, I wanted to help create a winning culture and restore the club to its former status as a dominant force. I’m proud to have contributed to that turnaround in three years.
Regretfully, I will no longer be able to attend the Bulldogs, but I wish the team, my teammates, and most importantly, the supporters, all the best. Love you very much, Fox.
Bulldogs chairman points to lack of transparency as a key reason
Bulldogs chairman Adam Druissi stated on Thursday that the team finally chose to end his contract because the winger did not adhere to the club’s values or be open and honest during the process. “Josh has been a significant part of our club over the past three seasons,” said.
“He has given our members and supporters a lot of unforgettable moments over this period. We acknowledge Josh’s appeal to our ardent fan base and sympathise 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 considers the failed drug test and the ensuing lack of openness to be major violations of Josh’s contractual commitments and our club’s standards, even if the NRL Integrity Unit has concluded its investigation and suspended him for four games.
Just before the NRL free agency period begins, Canterbury will remove nearly $500,000 from their salary limit by firing Addo-Carr. Although a number of clubs would probably be interested in hiring Addo-Carr, his salary won’t be as high as it was at Belmore.
Since his second positive reading was made public, the winger has been allowed to negotiate with other teams; however, no club has yet to sign Addo-Carr. In the 2025 season, the winger will still have to play the final three games of his four-game suspension.
READ MORE ON:https://sportip.co.uk/