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‘They are desperate’: Dogs block Addo-Carr move as ‘time running out’ for Storm

The Melbourne Storm have reportedly tried a bonkers move to return former star Josh Addo-Carr to the Victorian club once again.

The Melbourne Storm are desperate.
The Melbourne Storm are desperate.

The Bulldogs have blocked an approach from a ‘desperate’ Melbourne Storm about the possibility of signing Josh Addo-Carr on loan for the remainder of the season.

According to the SMH, Canterbury-Bankstown powerbrokers rejected the Storm’s inquiry, who were seeking to bring their former flyer to the club as cover for their growing casualty ward.

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Craig Bellamy’s side have slumped to four defeats in a row, and the master coach refused to blame his side’s form on a number key injuries following their loss to the Rabbitohs.

“With all due respect I don’t care what people put it down to or what they think is happening,” Bellamy said.

“These guys have gone out and we pick a team and we don’t want injuries obviously, but we have got guys in our team and we don’t pick them up off the street.”

Reports suggest the Storm were seeking to acquire Addo-Carr’s services for the remainder of 2022, before returning him to the Bulldogs to see out the final two-years of his contract.

Bulldogs supremo Phil Gould said that Addo-Carr meant too much to the club’s fans to allow him to make the short move.

It’s a desperate play from the Storm. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images
It’s a desperate play from the Storm. Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

The Melbourne club has made no secret of their desire to acquire talent in their outside backs — with stars such as Xavier Coates, Ryan Papenhuyzen, Reimis Smith and George Jennings all out for the foreseeable future.

The club has reportedly made plays for Tigers playmaker Adam Doueihi, teammate Daine Laurie and Titans young gun Jayden Campbell.

Tigers powerbrokers were reportedly considering allowing Laurie to leave for the remainder of 2022, if the Storm follow through after their initial inquiry.

But, following a strong performance in the club’s controversial loss against the Cowboys, The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio believes “the goalposts may have shifted”.

“The Melbourne Storm officials were mainly calling around last Friday for some answers, Jayden Campbell was brought up,” Riccio said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.

“Interestingly Craig Bellamy has a 30-year relationship with Tim Sheens, ‘Bellyache’ rang Sheens and said, ‘Would there be any interest in Daine Laurie going down to the Storm?’.

“Now on the back of yesterday’s performance, do the Tigers let Daine Laurie go?

“There was an element from Daine’s point of view and his management that he could go down to the Melbourne Storm and get a serious rugby league education within the Storm inner sanctum for the remainder of the year.

“But Daine Laurie was sensational yesterday, I reckon the goalposts may have shifted there.”

No wonder why they’re desperate. Picture: NRL Imagery / Hamish Blair
No wonder why they’re desperate. Picture: NRL Imagery / Hamish Blair

Riccio also labelled the Storm’s inquiries surrounding Doueihi and Campbell as “desperate”, revealing the club have no chance in acquiring Walsh on a short-term deal.

“They are desperate, no doubt,” Riccio said.

“They’ve made all sorts of enquiries on Josh Addo-Carr, Adam Doueihi and Jayden Campbell as already mentioned.

“As for Reece Walsh, the Warriors will not let Walsh go, he will remain at the Warriors for the rest of the year.”

“They’re running out of time too,” Greg Alexander said.

“It’s August 1 the cut-off, so they’ll need to find an option quickly if they’re to fix their problems at the back.”

Originally published as ‘They are desperate’: Dogs block Addo-Carr move as ‘time running out’ for Storm

Original URL: https://www.ntnews.com.au/sport/nrl/they-are-desperate-dogs-block-addocarr-move-as-time-running-out-for-storm/news-story/34092d23f68c62a932e3d9ebc227952d