Josh Addo-Carr cleared in roadside test before Eels meeting
Parramatta winger Josh Addo-Carr’s second result from a roadside drugs test has come back negative, just hours before he is scheduled to front the Eels board about his future.
Addo-Carr allegedly tested positive to cocaine at a random police roadside test in September. However, police on Monday informed him that the second test result provided a result for no drugs, meaning there will be no further action from police.
The development comes amid speculation that Addo-Carr was poised to be sacked at Parramatta headquarters tonight, where he is scheduled to address Eels directors.
With players poised to return to pre-season training, the Eels were keen the matter to a head. To that end, Addo-Carr has been to provide his version of events. Now, it appears that a career that appeared over could resume with the blue and golds.
The premiership-winning winger is a popular member of the club on and off the field. Addo-Carr has scored 27 tries since joining Parramatta last year.
Addo-Carr is expected to be accompanied by lawyer Elias Tabchouri and agent Marcel Tartak when he fronts directors this afternoon. The former Storm star was sacked after providing a positive roadside test while employed at Canterbury over a separate incident.
If Addo-Carr had been guilty of a second incident, it would have resulted in an automatic 12-game suspension.
Addo-Carr, who lost a sponsorship deal with automotive firm JAC, spent about a month in a rehabilitation centre to deal with off-field issues.
The Eels were already making contingency plans. They had been in discussions with Melbourne centre Jack Howarth, but have opted to abandon those negotiations. They have also been linked to Penrith’s Blaize Talagi, but if there is to be any pursuit it will be for 2028 due to his Achilles injury.
Newcastle winger James Schiller is a potential signing for 2027, while Bradman Best and Jack Bostock have been linked to the Eels for the following year.
Replies
Tin foil hat, do you think the nrl would have worked with the police to smudge ado carr 2nd sample to keep him in the game ? He is a massive draw and pretty important to the indigenous fan base. I don't think it would be out of vlandys playbook 😂 but that's just me with the tin foil hat
So what does it actually mean for JAC? Will the Eels now retain him or will they still decide to move him on
It's come back negative but he is also pregnant
Was issued a breach notice. He and his boffins responded at a meeting. Decision is pending.
What a lot of you blokes don't know is that roadside tests have between a 2% to 5% margin of error. That's why secondary tests are taken.
For those of you who have blown over on a roadside RBT, you'd know they take you back to the station, wait 30 minutes, then test you on a far more accurate piece of apparatus. If you're on the way up, the apparatus at the station will return a higher reading than the roadside device. If you're on the way down, they run a test to determine whether the 30 minutes brought you into compliance so, even if the apparatus at the station shows a negative reading, a mathetmatical test is performed, based on body mass, to take into account the roadside 'margin of error' and the 30 minutes between roadside and station tests to deliver an 'actual reading' at the time the driver was pulled over. These 'actual' readings are typically accepted by the Courts.
To apply that logic, the fact that JAC tested positive at roadside and negative on his B sample suggests that he was 'on the way down'.
Some of us on this forum will take the view of 'zero tolerance'. That is not what the law prescribes, and considering his B sample is negative, he will not be charged for 'drug driving' or 'driving under the influence' of a scheduled substance.
That's all you need to know. He should not be subject to a suspension by the NRL and any attempt to do so will result in litigation in which the NRL will unlikely be successful. To that end, the Club is no longer faced with the difficulty of terminating the contract of a required player - and now have the legal currency to justify why it didn't.
I'm not within the "four walls" but I can't imagine the Club ever wanted to terminate JAC's contract so I assume they are content with this outcome. I suspect they will still suspend JAC for maybe 4 weeks to send a message to the playing staff and the NRL that the Club is serious about standards, but that's as far as it should go.
P.S. for those that think there is some form of conspiracy here, for or against JAC, I have a bridge to sell you.
Honestly it's the same for any drug test the roadside test is screening, likely but not specific for any drug. You actually need specific detection and a calculable amount for confirmatory evidence. Whether that is the drug, or its metabolites depends on the drug and timeline.
I think he'll now get off scott free without any fines or suspensions. Heard his lawyer said he entered rehabilitation for mental health reasons which is plausible, and now Addo-Carr will start pre season training.
There is absolutely nothing the NRL or Parramatta can hold him to. Parramatta will release a statement that Josh maintained his innocence throughout the process, and the Club commends Josh for his proactive approach to his personal well-being over the off-season, including his voluntary time spent in a rehabilitation and wellness facility.
This will be sorted in a day or two
You team list guys can now add him into our starting 13 for Vegas.
Ill say one thing, Josh will no doubt be on the leash in Vegas lol. He'll have a minder 24/7 🥰😂
Bring on Los Vegas
I'm really pleased the Fox's B sample proved negative.
Parra no longer have a legal leg to stand on attempting to rip up his contract or ask him to move on. Morally...we'll fuck morally. At the end of the day he didnt harm anyone.
Everyone loves him, he's a brilliant player, on- field leader and does great community work. From what I've heard he's easily the fans favorite. His laugh is contagious and he brings a fun vibe to the team.
James Schiller is a decent back up but he's not worthy to even shine the Fox's boots.Let's not forget before he was busted his name was in the mix for the Australian squad. He was in contention for NSW selection too.
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