Melbourne Storm winger Josh Addo-Carr ready to take on NSW Origin teammate Blake Ferguson
Josh Addo-Carr and Blake Ferguson struck up a bromance in Origin camp, but it’ll all be forgotten once they lock horns in a sudden-death semi-final.
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They shared a room together and had pet names for each other in NSW Origin camp.
The hijinks included a swimming race before Origin II, a skolling competition (bottle of water, for any fun police out there), daily pranks and, of course, fits of hysterical laughter.
But the much-loved Josh Addo-Carr, 24, and Blake Ferguson, 29, bromance is officially on hold, until the end of Saturday night's semi-final between Melbourne Storm and Parramatta Eels when the pigeon pair plan to share a sports drink together.
"I haven't heard from him the last week or two," Addo-Carr, half of Origin double-act ‘Fissy and Fissy’ cackled.
"He's probably focused on playing us, he doesn't want to give too much information out, he might slip something out."
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At 183cm and 88kg Addo-Carr has the speed to trouble Ferguson but the giant Eel, at 191cm and 103kg, will takes a power of stopping in full flight.
"He's like a front rower on the wing," Addo-Carr said.
"He's massive, he's like 130kg (and) I'm wringing wet 80kg."
There is not a lot of science behind ‘Fissy and Fissy’ Origin catchcry, either, just shortened versions of their actual nicknames, ‘the Foxx’ and ‘Fergy’.
Despite both of the proud indigenous athletes having family links to the country NSW town of Wellington, Addo-Carr and Ferguson first met in 2012 at the old Redfern RSL, through mutual friend and relative respectively, former NRL star and champion boxer Anthony Mundine.
"It's going to be weird but we won't be friends on the field," Addo-Carr said.
In a major boost for fans, of both teams and rugby league in general, left-side wingers Addo-Carr (14 tries) and Ferguson (10) only make up half of the awesome finishing foursome on display on Saturday night, as Fijian stars Suliasi Vunivalu (10) and Maika Sivo (22) square off on the right edge.
Even Storm coach Craig Bellamy smiled broadly and gushed when asked about the tantalising wing pairings.
"Fergy adds a little bit of interest to any game that he plays in," Bellamy said.
"He's a very colourful personality and I love watching him play - when he ain't playing against us.
"He's really good for our game and Josh obviously has got the same sort of personality, I'm sure they'll be at each other on Saturday night."
Addo-Carr was heartbroken for dropping the ball last week which led to the Raiders’ matchwinner.
The typically sure-handed winger and a natural bubbly personality has moved on quickly since the costly error and been instrumental in helping to lift Storm spirits for the semi-final.
“It felt like a bad dream,” Addo-Carr said.
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“They (teammates) were very supportive and I'm very thankful for that, they could've easily held a grudge or anything like that but they came straight up to me and said that's footy.
“I just got to look back at all the good times I've had in the side and be the very best I can be this weekend.”
Addo-Carr, who co-led the league with 23 tries along with Vunivalu in Melbourne’s 2017 Storm premiership season, urged the minor premiers to make the most of opportunities this week.
Storm has relied on its left edge and middle forwards to score this year but Addo-Carr is adamant right-side winger Vunivalu could be the difference-maker.
"We got strike power across the park (but) I believe Suli is the best winger in the game if we give him a chance," Addo-Carr said.
"He's the best at jumping high over people and catching the ball and I don't think we've given him too many chances this year.
"We just got to create opportunities for everyone in the side, we've scored a lot of points this year, we got to back our ability."
Originally published as Melbourne Storm winger Josh Addo-Carr ready to take on NSW Origin teammate Blake Ferguson