Josh Addo-Carr hires high profile lawyer as he fights for his future in meeting with Canterbury Bulldogs

Josh Addo-Carr has employed a high profile lawyer, as he prepares to fight for his Bulldogs future when he fronts the club’s board on Thursday afternoon.

Bulldogs winger Josh Addo-Carr is set to fight for his Canterbury future as he prepares to front the board on Thursday afternoon.

Addo-Carr will be represented at the hearing by prominent lawyer Elias Tabchouri, who took charge of the case when the Bulldogs winger was initially charged by police.

The Bulldogs want to tear up the final year of Addo-Carr’s $550,000 contract. The NSW and Australian winger has had talks with rival clubs but is yet to secure a deal for next season. The Dragons have maintained they are keen to secure the 29-year-old but are yet to come to an agreement.

Josh Addo-Carr will be fighting for his Bulldogs future ahead of a meeting with the Canterbury board on Thursday afternoon. Picture: NRL Photos

Despite the outcome, Addo-Carr won’t be playing for the Bulldogs again.

Addo-Carr’s lawyer, Tabchouri has worked alongside the likes of Junior Amone and Luciano Leilua in recent high-profile cases and declined to comment given the sensitivity of the matter in the lead-up to Thursday afternoon’s meeting.

While he was reluctant to make a comment on Wednesday, Tabchouri made it clear that Addo-Carr insisted on his innocence even after he accepted the infringement notice from police after failing a roadside drug test.

“This matter has had a dramatic impact on Josh and his family,“ Tabchouri said at the time.

Regardless of the outcome, Addo-Carr is unlikely to play for the Bulldogs again. Picture: Warren Gannon Photography

“It has also been a distraction from a significant game for his beloved Bulldogs. Despite the fact that Josh maintains he has never knowingly ingested any illegal drugs, he has decided to pay the infringement and bring this matter to an end legally.”

Having made the decision to make himself unavailable for selection when he was charged to minimise the impact on the Bulldogs, Addo-Carr now finds himself fighting to prevent the club stepping in and sacking him after being handed a breach notice.

The development comes almost six weeks after accepting a $682 fine and three-month suspension from driving for allegedly testing positive to cocaine.

DRAGONS’ PURSUIT OF ADDO-CARR HINGES ON SLIPPERY EEL

—Michael Carayannis

St George Illawarra will wait for an answer from Clint Gutherson before deciding if they will pursue Josh Addo-Carr whose time at the Bulldogs will come to an end next week.

Addo-Carr has been asked to front the Canterbury board next Thursday where his $550,000 playing contract is expected to be torn up after he was issued a show cause notice following his positive drug road side drug test.

Bulldogs player Josh Addo Carr is on the outer at the club. Picture: Tim Hunter

Addo-Carr won’t play for the Bulldogs again and Canterbury are keen to get him off their books before the NRL’s new contracting season starts on November 1.

It means that the NSW and Australian winger may have just five days to find a new club. The Bulldogs had been hoping that a deal would have been done so it would not have gotten to this point.

The development comes almost six weeks after accepting a $682 fine and three-month suspension from driving for allegedly testing positive to cocaine.

Canterbury GM of football Phil Gould. Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

The Dragons have been considered the frontrunners for his services but are yet to table a deal. The Dragons did not consider his original request for a three-year contract but would consider landing Addo-Carr for two years.

But their first preference is understanding if Gutherson is keen to join the club.

The NRL suspended Addo-Carr for four matches and fined him $15,000 after accepting a $682 fine.

Members of the Dragons board will need to meet with Addo-Carr before they consider offering him a deal.