Phil Gould, the Canterbury Bulldogs’ Head of Football, recently suggested that star winger Josh Addo-Carr may return to play next week, despite being caught in an off-field controversy. Addo-Carr voluntarily withdrew from the upcoming match against the Manly Sea Eagles after reports surfaced that he allegedly failed a roadside drug test, which indicated the presence of cocaine. The incident, which took place last Friday evening, became public earlier this week, and the allegations were confirmed by a police statement. The statement noted that a 29-year-old male returned a positive result for cocaine, and further testing is now underway.
Following the incident, Addo-Carr met with Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo and decided to sit out Sunday’s game. However, he has continuously professed his innocence. The winger’s absence for this week’s match is self-imposed, not a decision by the club or the NRL, according to Gould. Speaking on his “Six Tackles with Gus” podcast, Gould explained that Addo-Carr could still be eligible to play next week due to the lengthy testing process required to confirm whether he indeed tested positive for an illegal substance.
Gould clarified that the Bulldogs did not suspend Addo-Carr for next week’s game and noted that it could take up to eight weeks for the test results to be finalized. He explained, “We haven’t stood him down,” and further detailed that Addo-Carr made the decision to step aside this week to avoid being a distraction for both himself and the team during the first week of the finals. Gould described a conversation he had with Addo-Carr, in which they discussed the pros and cons of him playing versus stepping aside. Ultimately, Addo-Carr chose to sit out, although Gould emphasized that neither the Bulldogs nor the NRL have the grounds to suspend him until the test results are confirmed.
The NRL’s collective bargaining agreement (CBA) states that neither the club nor the league’s integrity unit can suspend a player unless conclusive results are obtained. Given that it could take up to 10 weeks for the test to be processed, the Bulldogs do not believe it is justified to keep Addo-Carr out for such an extended period based solely on preliminary findings.
The Bulldogs face a crucial match against the Manly Sea Eagles on Sunday. A victory would allow the team to advance in the NRL Finals and keep Addo-Carr’s chances of participating in the 2024 Finals series alive. For now, his future on the field hinges on both the outcome of this game and the eventual results of the drug test. The team and fans alike will be hoping for a favorable outcome on both fronts.
