Parramatta Eels open talks
Immediately after Josh Addo-Carr was sacked by the Bulldogs, rumours emerged that he was set to rejoin his first NRL club, Wests Tigers.
Addo-Carr made 9 appearances for the Tigers in his first NRl season before joining the Storm in 2017. He could be a good depth option for Wests, as the betting sites predict it will be another tough year for them in 2025.
The St George-Illawarra Dragons–another rebuilding club tipped to struggle in 2025 by NRL betting experts– were also reportedly interested in the winger.
Now, according to The Daily Telegraph, Parramatta are also interested. Reportedly, new Eels head coach Jason Ryles and the club’s higher ups have opened talks with Addo-Carr this week.
Ryles and Aldo-Carr previously worked together for three years (2017-2020) at Melbourne, where Ryles was an assistant coach and Aldo-Carr was a key player for the Storm.
Career in limbo
While there are concrete reports linking Aldo-Carr to multiple NRL clubs, many experts wonder if the winger will ever play again.
The 29-year-old’s career was turned upside down in September when he failed a random roadside drugs test leaving the Bulldogs training facility. He then stood himself down and did not take part in the club’s elimination final match against Manly.
After that match, police confirmed that Aldo-Carr had failed the drugs test. The player was fined $682 and subsequently released by the Bulldogs in October for breach of contract and lack of transparency with the club’s board.
Aldo-Carr has always maintained his innocence and said that he knows one day that the truth will come out.
“You don’t want to go out like that,” Aldo-Carr also said before wishing the Bulldogs well and thanking head coach Cameron Ciraldo and his teammates.
“I will bring value”
Since his sacking, Aldo-Carr has been training with former boxer Garth Wood and even spent time working as a labourer while he weighs up his options.
The 29-year-old is much more optimistic about his chances of making a comeback than some of the popular NRL pundits who doubt him.
“No matter where I go, I know I will bring value to the team,” he said this week.
“The hunger is still there…I’ve won premierships at Melbourne, I know what it takes and wherever I go I will bring that winning mentality.
“Bloody oath I will be in the NRL next year. The love for footy and my hunger for footy is still there.
“It’s disappointing the way things panned out, but I have to cop it on the chin and I need to go back to what’s always worked for me and that’s working hard.
I’ve got a point to prove. I want to show people I’m not done,” Aldo-Carr added emphatically.
There’s no indication which club Aldo-Carr currently favours at the moment or if he will even have multiple clubs to choose from. The Tigers would definitely be the biggest challenge for the emboldened star, but it seems like discussions with the Eels are the furthest along. Whatever the case, we should know his future very soon.
