Canterbury decided to sack Addo-Carr on Thursday.
Josh Addo-Carr has thanked loyal Bulldogs fans for their support throughout his time at Canterbury after he was sacked by the club on Thursday. The winger saw his contract torn up with immediate effect as the Bulldogs saw no other option but to swing the axe after Addo Carr returned two positive readings to roadside drug tests last month.
Addo-Carr’s fate was sealed when the Australian Test winger was forced to front the Bulldogs board of directors and explain why he shouldn’t have his contract torn up. It came 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. Addo-Carr stood himself down in the days leading up to the clash so as not to be a distraction for his teammates.
The 15-time NSW State of Origin representative failed the roadside test and a secondary sample returned the same reading. Addo-Carr has maintained he did not knowingly ingest recreational drugs and had hoped to get a reprieve from Canterbury board members, however, it wasn’t to be. And on Friday morning, Addo-Carr posted an emotional message to Instagram, thanking Bulldogs fans.
“To all the Bulldogs fans and family, thank you for a memorable 3 years. The love and support you’ve shown me since I arrived at Belmore has always been amazing and the memories will last forever. Bulldogs Sponsors and board thank you for ongoing support, I appreciate you all,” he wrote on Instagram on Friday.
“I’d also like to thank my team mates and coaching staff. We built a brotherhood that will last forever and will miss our time together on and off the field. I came to the Bulldogs in 2022, a time when the club was struggling and at a low point. I wanted to help bring back the club to the powerhouse it once was and most importantly, I wanted to help build a winning culture. In 3 years, I’m proud to be a part of that turnaround.
“Unfortunately, circumstances won’t allow me to be at the Bulldogs any longer but I wish the club, my team mates and most importantly the fans nothing but success. Much love, Fox.”
Bulldogs chairman points to lack of transparency as a key reason
Bulldogs chairman Adam Druissi said on Thursday the club ultimately decided to terminate his contract because the winger failed to be transparent throughout the process or uphold the club’s standards. “Josh has been a significant part of our club over the past three seasons,” said.
“During this time, he has provided many memorable moments for our members and fans. We understand Josh’s popularity with our passionate supporter base, and we share their disappointment that his time with the club has ended this way.
“However, this season has demonstrated the importance of building a culture based on clear standards and values. While the NRL Integrity Unit has completed its investigation and imposed a four-match suspension, the club views the combination of the failed drug test and subsequent lack of transparency as serious breaches of Josh’s contractual obligations and our club’s standards.”
In axing Addo-Carr, Canterbury will clear close to $500,000 from their salary cap just as the NRL free agency period gets underway. Addo-Carr will likely have several clubs interested in his services but he won’t command the same pay packet he was on at Belmore.
The winger was given permission to negotiate with rivals since news of his second positive reading came to light, but no club has struck a deal with Addo-Carr as yet. The winger will still have to serve the remaining three games of his four-game ban in the 2025 season.
