Josh Addo-Carr contract: Bulldogs emerge as favourite for Storm flyer
As Melbourne Storm flyer Josh Addo-Carr prepares for the NRL grand final, serious discussions are happening in the background over his future.
Phil Rothfield
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The Canterbury Bulldogs are firming in the race to sign champion winger Josh Addo-Carr.
The Melbourne Storm flyer has put contract discussions on hold until after the grand final but is known to be impressed by new Bulldogs coach Trent Barrett.
They are in opposite corners in Sunday’s grand final at ANZ Stadium. The Bulldogs, Wests Tigers and the Rabbitohs are the three clubs most interested for next year.
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“I’ve decided not to even think about it until after the grand final,” Addo-Carr said.
“My manager is doing all that. He’s told me to focus on footy and I’m only thinking about Sunday.”
He admits it’s been the toughest decision of his life to leave the Storm a year early to be closer to family.
“I’ve had such a great time,” he said, “It is a great club, it really is.
“But I need to be with my family and that’s most important at the point of my life.”
HIGHLIGHT
An 82-year-old man, Les Bridge, winning the world’s richest horse race on turf as trainer of Everest winner Classique Legend at Randwick on Saturday, breaking the usual Waller or Waterhouse domination of Sydney’s big races.
LOWLIGHT
You’ve got to feel for Panthers centre Brent Naden. He’s been there all year as a tough, strong and reliable centre to help Penrith to the finals. Then he’s benched for Tyrone May against the Rabbitohs in the grand final qualifier and doesn’t even get any game time. It’s a harsh call.
TECH PASS
The NRL is in talks with a technology company that could finally put an end to the constant debate and inconsistency over forward pass rulings. The technology involves a microchip inside the footballs and in player jerseys to determine if it comes out of the hand backwards.
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SPOTTED
Peter V’landys can sure pull a crowd to his director’s suite at Randwick. Sunrise host Sam Armytage and partner Richard Lavender, Karl Stefanovic and wife Jasmine, Ben Fordham, Jim Wilson, Michael Usher, Cameron Williams, Mel McLaughlin, Foxtel boss Patrick Delany and Nine boss Hugh Marks, sitting with rising 2GB sports talent James Willis, among a host of media executives. It was a huge day for NSW Treasurer and Wests Tigers tragic Dominic Perrottet, who with wife Helen, backed Classique Legend to win the Everest.
RABBIT PUNCH
A couple of observations … Wayne Bennett has still not improved the Rabbitohs from how Anthony Seibold left the club in 2018 in the qualifying final. It can also be said Seibold left the Rabbitohs in far better condition than Bennett left the Broncos.
CLASS ACT
We’ve seen some extraordinary acts of skill in the NRL this year but few more spectacular than Dane Gagai’s try against the Panthers in the left corner. The grounding was unbelievably brilliant.
SHOOSH
A video has emerged and is doing the rounds on Whats App of an old NRL superstar in an intoxicated condition kissing another man in a pub, very similar to the old Joey Johns – Billy Peden photo.
360 VIEW
It’s a massive evening at Fox Sports on Monday night starting at 6.30pm with an NRL 360 grand final edition with Ben Ikin, Paul Kent and James Hooper followed by the Dally M awards hosted by Yvonne Sampson.
Originally published as Josh Addo-Carr contract: Bulldogs emerge as favourite for Storm flyer