NRL 2022: Inside the phone call that eased Josh Addo-Carr’s mind
Superstar winger Josh Addo-Carr has recieved a reassuring phone call but he isn’t quite packing his bags for the World Cup duties in England just yet.
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It took one phone call to remove the nagging doubts from Josh Addo-Carr’s mind. Having missed out of State of Origin selection this year, Addo-Carr feared his World Cup dreams may be over.
Then he received a phone call from Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga and hope was renewed. Addo-Carr was back in the representative picture and big performance for the Prime Minister’s XIII against Papua New Guinea at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday should make his selection for the Kangaroos a mere formality.
“There is always thoughts in the back of your head,” Addo-Carr said.
“Not playing Origin and all that stuff, you have a lot of thoughts going through your head. After (talking to) Mal, I focused more on what I had to do for the Bulldogs.
“I was so excited that Mal gave me a call. At the same time he was just seeing how I was going and all that kind of stuff, which meant a lot.
“I am super proud to be part of this team at the moment and hopefully get the call up for the World Cup.”
Addo-Carr should start packing. Wing has become a problem position for Meninga with Brian To’o and Joseph Suaalii among those to pledge their allegiance to Samoa, and Daniel Tupou opting for Tonga.
Their unavailability means Addo-Carr will be front and centre when Meninga and the selectors sit down to pick their side for the tournament.
He probably would have been anyway given Meninga puts a high price on loyalty and Addo-Carr is an incumbent, albeit having played the last of his two Tests three years ago.
Asked about whether he was upset with NSW wingers To’o and Tupou turning their back on Australia given they cost him a spot with the Blues, Addo-Carr said: “Not at all, not all bro. It just wasn’t my time to put the Sky Blue Jersey on this year.
“It is what it is. I had to move on from that and focus on what I had to do for the Bulldogs. That was my mindset at the time.”
His priority now is to show Meninga he deserves to tour England.
“I am the first person there and the last one to leave,” he said.
“That’s it. I haven‘t been over to England too. So I have always wanted to be part of a World Cup — that has always been a goal.
“I have no idea yet bro [if I am in the team]. See what happens bro, see what happens. I think it is the pinnacle.
“It is awesome putting the sky blue jersey on but playing for Australia and representing your country. I don’t think you get any higher than that.
“You get to play with the best players in the world and play against the best players in the world.”
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Queensland skipper Daly Cherry-Evans says he is up for the fight to retain the Australia No.7 jumper amid fears he will be axed in favour of NSW rival Nathan Cleary for the World Cup.
Cherry-Evans will get a crucial chance to submit a World Cup statement to Test coach Mal Meninga when he starts at halfback in the Australian Prime Minister’s XIII clash against Papua New Guinea on Sunday at Suncorp Stadium.
Cherry-Evans is Australia’s incumbent halfback, having worn the No.7 jumper in the Kangaroos’ past four Test matches, the last of which was a 16-12 loss to Tonga in November 2019 before the Covid crisis put international football on ice.
In the three years since, Cleary has established himself as the NRL’s best halfback, steering the Panthers to back-to-back grand finals, headlined by their premiership win over Souths last season.
Manly’s horror late-season fade out, missing the finals this year after seven straight losses, has left Cherry-Evans in green-and-gold limbo, but the Maroons maestro is refusing to concede defeat in the World Cup scrumbase battle with Cleary.
“Hearing the call from Mal and that he wants me to be part of this PM’s game definitely is the first step I was hoping for to put myself in the next spot, which is the World Cup,” Cherry-Evans said.
“This game (against PNG) is a great platform for me to play some footy again and hopefully make those connections within camp that I am more than ready to go across and do a job for Australia.
“It sounds like there’s going to be a lot of great options to go on tour.
“Nathan is playing great footy for the Panthers (in the finals).
“Unfortunately, I don’t have that opportunity at club level and that’s why this weekend is so exciting.
“To get in front of these guys (Australian selectors) is an important step for going to the World Cup and once we are there Mal is going to have that mentality to pick the best players.
“I am going to make sure I make the best impression so I am in the best 17 for Australia.”
Asked if his incumbency as Australia’s halfback should be considered, he said: “That is a question I don’t have the answer to and is for the selectors and coaches to look after.
“But this is a great opportunity for me to play good footy.
“The more opportunities I get the more I am going to back myself to make the 17.
“I’ve got to make sure I enjoy this week as well. If I wish this week away and worry too much about what is happening in the future, then I am not going to do my teammates a service this weekend.”
While Cleary is the red-hot favourite to unseat Cherry-Evans and make his Australian debut, Meninga insists he has not made a definitive call on his No.1 halfback.
“I haven’t said that (Cleary is ahead of Cherry-Evans) at all,” Meninga said.
“I have said to Daly, and I haven’t talked to Nathan because he is still playing, they are the two best sevens in the competition in my view.
“It might not be the view of the other selectors, but Daly had a terrific Origin series and Nathan is killing it in clubland and through the finals.
“They will be fighting it out, they will both go on tour in my mind.”
Cherry-Evans’ Queensland teammate, Ben Hunt, will start at hooker against the Kumuls.
The Kangaroos are blessed for hooking options, with Damien Cook, Harry Grant, Api Koroisau and Reece Robson all in the mix, but Meninga says Hunt is a serious contender to clinch the No.9 jumper.
“Versatility is really key on long tours and it’s valuable to have Ben in a touring team,” Meninga said.
“Ben has had a terrific year and is one of the favourites for the Dally M.
“Harry is a great player and we still have Damien Cook, Api Koroisau and Reece Robson playing in the finals.
“It’s a good decision and a tough decision. I will take two genuine hookers on tour and Ben could be that bench utility as well.”
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Originally published as NRL 2022: Inside the phone call that eased Josh Addo-Carr’s mind
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