Eels notify NRL Integrity Unit over alleged Josh Addo-Carr incident

Parramatta have notified the NRL Integrity Unit about an alleged incident involving winger Josh Addo-Carr after a reported roadside drug test in Sydney on Friday night. According to the Guardian's report on Saturday, the club confirmed it was aware of the matter and was co-operating with the relevant processes.

The reported positive indication for cocaine remains an allegation, with further testing still outstanding. New South Wales police said officers stopped a vehicle's driver for random testing on Friday night. A 31-year-old man returned a negative roadside breath-test result before a preliminary drug wipe allegedly indicated the presence of cocaine. Police obtained an oral fluid sample for further analysis.

The police investigation is continuing while officers await the forensic results, the Guardian reported. In its Saturday afternoon statement, Parramatta said it was providing welfare support to Addo-Carr and his family alongside its co-operation with the process. The Eels also said they would make no further comment until the matter had been finalised.

The new allegation follows a separate roadside drug-testing incident in 2024 that led to Addo-Carr's departure from Canterbury. The Bulldogs terminated his contract in October that year after he returned a positive reading. Addo-Carr maintained that he had not knowingly ingested recreational drugs, but Canterbury decided to end his deal with a year still remaining.

Following that earlier incident, the NRL Integrity Unit imposed a four-match suspension and a $15,000 fine. Addo-Carr was also fined $682 and lost his driving licence for three months, according to the Guardian. Those penalties related to the 2024 case; the current matter remains under investigation, with the latest sample awaiting forensic analysis.

The 31-year-old, a former New South Wales and Australia representative who won a premiership with Melbourne, has been a regular starter across his two seasons at Parramatta. He scored a try in the Eels' final game of the season, a 24-22 defeat by the Dragons on 6 September. The club's response now includes both its notification to the integrity unit and support for the player and his family.