Addo-Carr to miss Bulldogs’ NRL finals clash over drug test

Bulldogs winger Josh Addo-Carr has stood himself down from Canterbury’s NRL finals clash with the Manly Sea Eagles this Sunday.

The news comes after the former Melbourne Storm star tested positive for cocaine when police pulled him over last Friday night.

Bulldogs general manager Phil Gould revealed on Tuesday that Addo-Carr refutes any wrongdoing and made the decision himself to sit out this weekend.

“Josh vehemently defends himself here and his innocence in this matter,” Gould said.

“As far as he’s concerned he’s done nothing wrong.

“He’s taken no drugs and he can’t understand why he tested positive once at the scene of this roadside test on Friday night.

“I want to emphasise that Josh believes he is completely innocent, he’s been quite concerned by what’s happened in the last 24 hours and can’t understand how he’s tested positive.

“I’m convinced that when Josh left the scene of the roadside test on Friday night he was convinced that would be the end of it.”

This sort of drama is the last thing Canterbury would have wanted as they prepare for their first finals match since 2016.

Having finished sixth on the NRL ladder, Cameron Ciraldo’s men face a tough test against Manly in the first week of the post-season.

Although the Bulldogs will have home-ground advantage at Accor Stadium, top NRL bookmakers can hardly split the two sides.

While some betting sites have Canterbury as short as $1.83 in head-to-head markets, Bet365 is paying $2 for the home side to win.

Neds.com.au has the Sea Eagles as outsiders at $1.98, whereas several bookies have the pair at level pegging.

Both teams are paying long odds of around $21 to win the 2024 NRL Grand Final.

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