Storm coach Craig Bellamy expects Josh Addo-Carr to fulfil contract
PIC SPECIAL: At the same time he had his head shaved for charity, Craig Bellamy again tried to shut down speculation that NSW Origin winger Josh Addo-Carr could quit Melbourne Storm.
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Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy says contracted winger Josh Addo-Carr has not requested an early release and return to Sydney.
Addo-Carr, 24, is expected to start pre-season, as scheduled, in Melbourne on Monday.
Speculation has swirled in recent weeks around the NSW Origin, Kangaroos and premiership finisher wanting to move back home to Sydney for family reasons.
But Bellamy said Addo-Carr remained committed to the club.
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“We haven’t heard it like that (he wants to leave),” Bellamy said.
“He’s having some issues with his manager at the moment as well, or they’re having issues with each other … he’s got another two years to run on his contract and we’re expecting him to see out those two years.
“He’ll be here Monday. We expect he’ll fulfil his contract, until something happens other than that, that’s what we’re expecting.”
Addo-Carr will be joined in Melbourne on Monday by Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes, the Storm representative stars were afforded longer breaks due to Kangaroos and Kiwi commitments.
Storm winger Sandor Earl hopes Addo-Carr remains at the club, having spoken to him during the off-season.
“I’ve tried to obviously keep it on as much of a friendship base as I can,” Earl said.
“If his circumstances do change in terms of his family, I’m sure that’s going to put a bit of pressure on but a guy like Josh you never want to lose.
“So we’re looking forward to him coming back to pre-season and hopefully we don’t lose a guy like that because there’s really only one Josh Addo-Carr in the NRL.”
If circumstances were to change for Addo-Carr it would put Storm in a significant bind, with Bellamy having to anoint up to three new starters in 2020 following confirmed off-season departures.
With a Hunger Games-inspired declaration, Bellamy made it explicitly obvious how he wants players to approach pre-season workouts and competition for spots.
“We’ve got a few positions available for young guys,” Bellamy said.
“How hungry they are to take that opportunity? That’s what we’re looking for.
“When we’ve brought guys into the squad that haven’t had a whole heap of experience or they’ve been younger, them being hungry has been the main thing.
“It’s one thing coaching them or letting them know what they need to do or how they need to do it, how hungry they are to take the opportunity.
“They’ll be the guys we’ll be looking for and certainly there’s a couple of opportunities there for someone to step up and grab with both hands.”
Meanwhile, Bellamy and winger Sandor Earl delivered on a pledge to have their heads shaved after raising more than $30,000 for the Leukaemia Foundation.
The sheering session had Storm players and staff in fits as Bellamy and Earl lost their locks for charity.
“A lot of other people seem to be interested in what I look like without any hair, from the crowd that was here today,” Bellamy grinned.
“I’ve had the same sort of haircut (for about 60 years).
“But obviously it’s for a wonderful cause and Sandor actually asked me when I was probably under the weather a touch so I was going to agree with it.”
Earl convinced silver fox Bellamy to shave his head during the club’s end of season function.
The master coach drove a hard bargain, challenging Earl to raise the stakes from $10,000 to $30,000 for the blood cancer charity.
Earl, who has sported a ponytail or man bun since 2016, was full of praise for Bellamy’s commitment to the cause.
“He’s got a good shaved head,” Earl joked. “He looks a little bit rougher himself, nah he’s a good sport, Bellsa.
”To get him onboard was a little bit of fun but … the opportunities he’s given me and the faith he’s shown in me, this is just another reflection of the relationship I have with him and how good a bloke and how good a leader he is.”
Earl, who is gunning for a spot in Bellamy’s top squad in 2020, said the haircut would give the coach less ammunition.
“He’s lost half of his jokes,” Earl said.
“I’m a cheap laugh for him because of the man bun so maybe it will bring him on side.”
Originally published as Storm coach Craig Bellamy expects Josh Addo-Carr to fulfil contract