NRL issues Canterbury Bulldogs star Josh Addo-Carr with breach notice after positive roadside drug tests

The NRL has handed Josh Addo-Carr a breach notice after he was caught driving under the influence of cocaine.

The Bulldogs star’s future at Belmore still remains unclear, but on Tuesday the NRL said it had issued the notice because Addo-Carr had brought the game into disrepute and therefore breached the NRL Code of Conduct.

Under the game’s rules, head office does not publish the details of sanctions, however it is expected to sit at close to a four-game ban along with a fine.

“Addo-Carr was issued with a Penalty Notice by NSW Police earlier this month for the offence of ‘Presence of prescribed illicit drug in person’s oral fluid, blood or urine’ while driving a motor vehicle,” the NRL said.

“The Breach Notice alleges that Addo-Carr has engaged in conduct which is against the law and has brought the game and his club into disrepute.

“Addo-Carr has five business days to respond to the Breach Notice.”

Addo-Carr has maintained his innocence throughout the saga despite a positive roadside test and an oral swab also returning a positive result a week after the incident.

Souths star Latrell Mitchell was issued a similar breach notice after a photo appeared of him leaning over a table with white powder on it. He was subsequently banned for one-match to be served next year.

Canterbury football boss Phil Gould said last week it is “too early” to determine whether Addo-Carr had played his last Bulldogs game before the winger faced the NRL integrity unit.

Addo-Carr has maintained he did not knowingly take cocaine before being stopped by police after he left the Bulldogs’ Homebush camp to buy a phone charger late at night on September 6.

But the 29-year-old’s lawyer confirmed he would accept a $682 fine and three-month ban from driving over the incident, which Gould said was “virtually an admission of guilt”.

The Bulldogs’ season ended with a 24-22 elimination final loss to Manly, Addo-Carr opting to stand down from Canterbury’s first final since 2016 rather than create a media circus.

“The NRL have decided it’s time for them to step in and make a decision on what their punishment will be and then it’ll be up to the club to see what we do from there,” Gould told 100% Footy.

“I haven’t spoken to him since the second positive analysis came back. I believe he’s still protesting his innocence but at the end of the day, it’s in his system when he takes the drug test on Friday night.

“How it got there, he needs to work that out and explain that to the people that count.”

Addo-Carr is contracted until the end of next year with Gould holding the star’s fate in his hands.

Gould will take his recommendation to Canterbury’s board, led by first-year chairman Adam Driussi, and a final judgement will be made on Addo-Carr’s playing future at the club.

“I think that’s too early to say (whether he will be fired),” Gould said.

“(The board) may or may not take my recommendation. They may or may not have another point of view.

“At the end of the day, we’ll do what we think is in the best long-term interest of the club, it’s as simple as that, and all the players understand that: club first, team second, individual third. That’s what we’ll do.”

with AAP