Canterbury have sacked Josh Addo-Carr after he returned a positive result to cocaine at a roadside police drugs test in September.
Addo-Carr fronted the Bulldogs board at a meeting at Belmore Sports Ground on Thursday afternoon after receiving a breach notice. The premiership-winning winger was flanked by his lawyer Elias Tabchouri, manager Mario Tartak and a representative from the Rugby League Players Association as he gave his version of events during a one-hour meeting.
After considering Addo-Carr’s situation, the board decided to sack the former Storm star. Addo-Carr had a year remaining on his $500,000-per-season deal, but that has now been torn up.
The 29-year-old accepted a $682 fine and a three-month suspension from driving following the incident, but has always maintained that he did not knowingly take any illicit substances.
It’s a stance he reiterated when interviewed by the NRL’s integrity unit, claiming he didn’t contest the fine to spare his family and club adverse publicity.
The Bulldogs were keen to follow the correct process and allow Addo-Carr to provide his version of events to the board, mindful that Cronulla settled with Todd Carney after the playmaker launched an unfair dismissal claim over his sacking from the club.
Josh Addo-Carr leaves Bulldogs HQ at Belmore after his hearing on Thursday.Credit: Janie Barrett
Addo-Carr has been linked with a move to St George Illawarra, although coach Shane Flanagan has publicly stated the club’s initial focus was on securing Clint Gutherson from Parramatta. Gutherson’s transfer to the Red V, on a three-year deal, moved a step closer after the Eels released him from the final year of his contract.
The NRL hit Addo-Carr with a four-match ban, one of which he has served after standing down from Canterbury’s finals loss to Manly. It means he won’t be able to play for his next employer until round four of the 2025 season.
Canterbury general manager Phil Gould had previously stated that Addo-Carr’s version of events held “too many contradictions”.
“At the end of the day what we have is a positive drug test, that there were drugs in his system last Friday night,” Gould said on his Six Tackles with Gus podcast in September.
“I believe he’s still protesting his innocence in that. But at [some stage] he’s going to have to explain to himself and explain to people that matter exactly how that’s happened and why it’s happened.”
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