The manager of Josh Addo-Carr has declared the star winger has “not at any stage been shopped around by the Bulldogs.”
It comes after Addo-Carr met with the club’s general manager of football, Phil Gould on Friday after what’s been a rollercoaster few weeks where he’s been caught up in two controversial incidents.
Addo-Carr’s manager Mario Tartak told The Sydney Morning Herald that the 28-year-old was assured his future is safe at the Bulldogs but he’s been asked to become more of a leader.
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“Phil Gould just met with Josh to check on his welfare and let him know that he is part of Canterbury’s plans,” Tartak said.
“He asked Josh to take more of a leadership role within the group. ‘Gus’ sees him as an important part of the team going forward and wants him at the club.
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“Gus saw this as a chance for Josh to have a reset after a couple of little hiccups. Not at any stage has Josh Addo-Carr been shopped around by the Bulldogs.
“Josh was grateful for the meeting and we’re all keen on him getting back to the business of playing his best footy.”
Addo-Carr received a two-match suspension last week for his involvement in a brawl at the Koori Knockout, costing him a Kangaroos jersey.
Then this week he shared a controversial post on social media, which he later apologised for. Addo-Carr compared the Middle East conflict to Indigenous land rights by posting a photo of Aboriginal and Palestinian flags next to each other with the caption “one struggle, one fight” while the phrase “Land Back” was accompanied by two Arabic words.
Via a statement, Addo-Carr later said the post was “a mistake”. He apologised for “any offence” he caused and said he “felt remorse” as soon as it was brought to his attention that he had got it wrong.
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It’s since been revealed by Danny Weidler via the Herald that Addo-Carr was scheduled to have a meeting with ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys days before he was involved in the brawl.
According to Weidler, Gould set up the meeting to help the representative winger plan for life after football — and the Bulldogs supremo had the idea of him becoming the face of Indigenous rugby league.
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Addo-Carr pulled out of the meeting due to his selection in the Australian Prime Minister’s XIII — which he later withdrew from due to injury — but Tartak attended it on his behalf.
“I was happy to have the meeting because not enough is done to help players transition into retirement,” V’landys said.
“It’s a major issue, and when Phil Gould asked for the meeting I was only too happy to meet with them and try and plan something for Josh and his family.
‘I’m open to meeting with players who have ideas about what they’d like to do and I’ll assist where I can.”
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