Josh Addo-Carr is facing at least three months on the sidelines should any club throw him a lifeline following his recent roadside drug test failure.
Addo-Carr’s camp is still awaiting formal notification of his B-test sample after he tested positive for cocaine in September.
The NRL and the Eels will wait on that result before any sanction is handed down.
While Parramatta are yet to make a formal decision on Addo-Carr’s future, it is highly likely that the Eels will reluctantly sack the flying winger from his $400,000 contract if the second test result comes back positive.
The NRL are also set to put a 12-game ban on him should any club look to sign him meaning he will be sidelined for almost half of next season.
Even if he is retained by the Eels, they will be missing him for a large chunk of the season. The 12-game ban is in line with the NRL’s illicit drug testing policy, which deems players are automatically sidelined for that period after a second failed test.
The NRL website states: “Players who record a second contravention will serve a 12-match ban, the prospect of contract termination, a fine, and further treatment and monitoring.”
Two years ago, Addo-Carr was sacked by the Bulldogs after failing a roadside drug test
The NRL may not formally announce the sanction should the Eels rip up his contract given he will no longer be a registered player.
However this column has learnt that should a club want him and the NRL allow him back into the game then the 31-year-old will have a long stint on the sidelines.
The former NSW flyer has been in a rehabilitation facility since his positive test result.
Addo-Carr was driving in Sydney’s inner-west along Enmore Road in Newtown when he was stopped for a test just days after he played in Parramatta’s final game of the season.
This time last year, Addo-Carr had returned to the Kangaroos line-up and was part of Australia’s extended World Cup squad before the positive test.
He was sacked by Canterbury in 2024 after he again failed a roadside drug test.
Addo-Carr looked to have resurrected his career with the Eels with Parramatta officials talking glowingly of his impact at the club on and off the field since his arrival in 2025.
Replies
stick by him don't chuck him to the wolves. love the fox everyone makes mistakes & no one deserves to be put on for the mistakes they do. he isn't the only one that racks up in the NRL.
But getting caught twice at what point does he learn a lesson?
I stand by the Fox. Support the man.
Good player and does great community work.
Hurts the club more than it hurts Josh. He'll still be paid handsomely for sitting out 3 months.
Tough call but bye Felicia.
We aren't a charity second strike and I have no doubt down the track this will happen again and if you ask me without any evidence at all this guys been on it for years I have zero doubts about that.
We need all hands on deck not guys who make mistakes like this and lose him for half a season.Rip it up and let him be someone else's issue.
Why is this "new news" has something happened we do not know about?
I stand with the fox. 12 weeks is more then enough
If Parra sack him, i understand and fine with it. If they stand by him and wait out the 12 weeks, so be it as well. Though i think him being at the club in 2028 could be more slim.
Can see Parra checking how many games can be used to offset the ban before making a decision. World Cup plus all stars. Could be a total 6 week ban in the nrl season.
Yeah i wonder how that works. All-Stars for sure he would have been picked. World Cup? Well he did promotional stuff and Walters said once he got caught that he needed to make changes to his squad.
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