Phil Gould's telling admission about Josh Addo-Carr drama as NRL issues please explain
Gould says Addo-Carr accepting a fine and a driving suspension is "virtually an admission of guilt".
Canterbury football boss Phil Gould says it is "too early" to say whether or not Josh Addo-Carr will remain at the Bulldogs next season as the winger prepares to front the NRL integrity unit over his cocaine saga. Both the NRL and Canterbury have unanswered questions after a secondary analysis of Addo-Carr's roadside drug test confirmed a positive reading for cocaine last Friday.
The veteran winger has maintained throughout the process that he didn't knowingly take cocaine before being stopped by police after leaving the Bulldogs' Homebush camp to purchase a phone charger late at night on September 6. But the 29-year-old's lawyer confirmed last week that Addo-Carr would accept a $682 fine and three-month ban from driving over the incident - which Gould told Channel Nine was "virtually an admission of guilt".
While legally the matter is now settled, his future at the Bulldogs remains unclear. The Bulldogs' season ended with a 24-22 elimination final loss to Manly on Sunday, with Addo-Carr opting to stand down from Canterbury's first final since 2016 rather than create a media circus. But the ordeal is far from over as Addo-Carr's manager Mario Tartak arranges to meet with the NRL integrity unit this week. Following that Addo-Carr will then have to front the Bulldogs board, where the club will decide whether or not to tear up the final year of his deal.
"The NRL have decided it's time for them to step in and make a decision on what their punishment will be and then it'll be up to the club to see what we do from there," Gould told Channel Nine's 100% Footy. "I haven't spoken to him since the second positive analysis came back. I believe he's still protesting his innocence but at the end of the day, it's in his system when he takes the drug test on Friday night. How it got there, he needs to work that out and explain that to the people that count."
Phil Gould will have a say in Josh Addo-Carr's Bulldogs future
After the integrity unit meets to determine if they will punish Addo-Carr further, Gould and the Bulldogs board will then make a call on whether or not to keep the winger at Belmore in 2025 - the final year of his contract. Gould will take his recommendation to Canterbury's board, led by first-year chairman Adam Driussi, and then a final judgement will be made on Addo-Carr's future at the club.
"I think that's too early to say (whether his contract will be torn up)," Gould said late Monday night. "(The board) may or may not take my recommendation. They may or may not have another point of view.
"At the end of the day, we'll do what we think is in the best long-term interest of the club, it's as simple as that, and all the players understand that: club first, team second, individual third. That's what we'll do."
Speaking on NRL 360 on Monday night, Phil Rothfield said he believes the NRL could impose "a three to four-week suspension". While The Australian's Brent Read has tipped the Bulldogs to tear up Addo-Carr's $550,000-a-year contract.
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"I think Canterbury is the bigger issue, the NRL will obviously weigh in with whatever they do, but Canterbury’s call will be the big one for him," Read said. "That will determine whether he’s got a deal or not, it’s in the balance … I think there’s every chance they do (fire him)."
Aside from his meeting with the NRL, Addo-Carr will also be part of the Bulldogs' final performance reviews and exit interviews this week, following what was overall a promising 2024 season. He will also undergo a medical assessment after missing the final round of the regular season with a minor ankle injury.
with AAP
