Phil Gould comes clean on Josh Addo-Carr amid Bulldogs 'on notice' claim
The representative winger has been linked with more than one rival club amid recent off-field drama.
Canterbury Bulldogs supremo Phil Gould insists representative winger Josh Addo-Carr remains an "important" part of the club's plans, despite reports linking him to more than one NRL rival and suggestions he has been put 'on notice' by the club. Reports on Wednesday claimed up to four NRL rival clubs were interested in signing the winger as uncertainty swirls around the future of the 28-year-old.
It follows a couple of off-field controversies surrounding Addo-Carr, who was banned for two games after being involved in a post-game punch-up at the recent Koori Knockout tournament. The suspension means the winger missed the Kangaroos' Pacific Championships Test against Samoa, with Addo-Carr also ruled out of Saturday night's match against New Zealand.
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The speedster was also forced to apologise for an anti-Israel post where he compared the plight of the Palestinian people during the current conflict with Indigenous Australians. The off-field dramas sparked 'clear the air' talks with Gould, who insisted earlier this month that the club and player were ready to move forward together after the controversies.
However, the 28-year-old continues to be linked with rival clubs, with Parramatta reportedly interested in exploring a swap deal for the flyer involving Ryan Matterson. Gould has scoffed at suggestions that Addo-Carr could be set for the exit door at Canterbury, however, telling Nine News on Thursday night that there is nothing to the "rumours".
“I don’t know who started these rumours. I don’t know why they started these rumours. I don’t know why people delve into these rumours, it’s got me beat,” he said. “I don’t know what’s going on with Josh Addo-Carr and why he’s in the papers at the moment.”
The Bulldogs supremo described Addo-Carr as being "vital" to the club's plans, despite admitting that his recent off-field dramas were a learning experience for all parties. “He probably knows that he stepped out of the crease there a little bit, but people make mistakes, that’s the way it goes.
"As for the other rubbish in the papers, I don’t know where that came from. Josh Addo-Carr is a very important part of our club. He is very popular with the members and fans. He has come here for a reason – to help this club rebuild, and we’ll continue to do that.”
Claims Josh Addo-Carr has been put 'on notice'
Reports have suggested that Gould's view is not shared by other powerbrokers at the Bulldogs, and that the winger is more dispensable than Canterbury's general manager of football has indicated. News Corp league reporter Brent Read said while he gets the sense Addo-Carr "won't be going anywhere", he suggested the Bulldogs have effectively put their star winger "on notice".
“Obviously there’s a lot of rumours going around about him at the moment, he’s had some off-field issues, he’s obviously missed the first couple of games of the Pacific Championships because of that. It was reported there were some concerns over his season, his form, his attitude and there are clubs waiting, there are clubs wanting a piece of Josh Addo-Carr.
“My sense is that he won’t be going anywhere but I think it’s more about putting Josh on notice and telling him that ‘hey mate, you need to play better, you need to get things right on the field’. That’s my sense of it all, but there are clubs waiting in the wings that would love to have Josh Addo-Carr on their roster.
“So if he is squeezed out of Canterbury, if things do go pear-shaped there, he’ll find a home somewhere else. He’s that good a footballer. And clubs will be falling over themselves to sign Josh Addo-Carr.”
Addo-Carr is contracted with the Bulldogs until the end of 2025. Suggestions he could be used in a swap deal to get Eels edge forward Matterson to the Bulldogs also appear to be scuppered by Canterbury's signing of Warriors back-rower Josh Curran, who agreed to a two-year deal with Canterbury on Thursday.
with AAP
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