Josh Addo-Carr is eager to team up with Reece Walsh for Australia after experience with Broncos’ older brother

The controversial Parramatta flyer insists he never gave up hope of a representative resurrection after winning a Kangaroos call-up on Tuesday _ almost a year since being sacked by the Bulldogs.

Addo-Carr’s career was at the crossroads when he had his Bulldogs contract torn-up, only to be thrown a lifeline by the Eels, where he has been a revelation this season with 19 tries from 22 games.

The Eels veteran was originally overlooked for the Ashes, but when Eels teammate Zac Lomax and Storm winger Xavier Coates withdrew with injury on Tuesday, the door sensationally swung open for ‘The Foxx’.

Addo-Carr had just wrapped up his stint with Sydney All Blacks in the Koori knockout when Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters issued a selection SOS for the 30-year-old speed machine.

“I’m lost for words, I’m over the moon,” Addo-Carr said.

“Everyone has been calling me, my phone has blown up with people wanting to wish me well.

“’Kevvie’ (Walters) called me at 1pm (on Tuesday) and gave me the heads up that I was in.

“I have been training with Roger Fabri (sprint coach) and just played in the Koori knockout.

“When Kevvie called me, he said, ‘Did you play in the Koori knockout’ and I said, ‘Yeah, I wouldn’t miss it for the world’.

“He said, ‘That’s good, I’m glad you still stayed fit because you’re in the Australian team’.

“I’m glad I stayed fit because if I didn’t play in that tournament, they may not have picked me.

“I sort of knew why he might be calling ... I said I wouldn’t let him down.”

Addo-Carr played junior football at Souths with Reece Walsh’s older brother Zac and is relishing the prospect of joining forces with ‘Reece Lightning’ to torch the Poms with their blistering speed.

The Eels ace played the last of his seven Tests three years ago as a member of Australia’s 2022 World Cup victory.

Addo-Carr has never faced England and believes he and Broncos superstar Walsh can be a lethal one-two punch to sink the British in the first Ashes series since 2003.

“Reece Walsh is a freak,” he said.

“I can’t wait to play with him, we could really test them.

“He is still so young and it will be a privilege to be on the field with a player like him. He is a wonderful talent.

“I actually grew up with his older brother Zac. We went to school at Matraville Sports and I played at South Sydney with him years ago.

“We played Harold Matthews and SG Ball at South Sydney Rabbitohs. He was a half, he was a man child back in the day, he was bigger than the rest of us boys, he was skilful and had a good kicking game.

“He was the next big thing growing up, so I’m not surprised Reece has talent too.

“What Reece did in the grand final, he lit it up, so I’m excited to see what we could do together for Australia in the Ashes.”

One of the fastest players in the code’s history, Addo-Carr’s green-and-gold comeback is remarkable.

This time last year, his NRL career appeared to be over.

In limbo, he was working on a building site to stay active.

The Bulldogs pulled the trigger on Addo-Carr following an incident in September 2024, when he tested positive to cocaine after a roadside drug test.

Addo-Carr’s subsequent version of events to Canterbury chiefs didn’t align with what New South Wales police officers had alleged.

Addo-Carr remains adamant he doesn’t know how the drug got in his system, with the winger standing himself down from Canterbury’s first finals match in eight years, which they lost to Manly.

The 201-game NRL stalwart has since found a home at the Eels and repaid their faith with 10 tries in his final seven games, including a hat-trick in Parramatta’s 66-10 rout of the Knights in their final game.

“I never gave up hope,” Addo-Carr said.

“There’s no bad blood with the Bulldogs, I wished Cam Ciraldo and the boys all the best at the time and I’m just so happy with my life now.

“Personally, I want to sign another few deals and finish my career at Parra. The coaching staff and the boys here, even the administration, they are all good people to be around and it’s so enjoyable.

“I can’t be happier with the move here and ‘Rylesy’ (Eels coach Jason Ryles) and the Eels performance team have developed me into the player I have always wanted to be.

“Without the support of the Eels, I wouldn’t be here.”

Addo-Carr has scored an incredible 13 tries in just seven Tests for Australia, including five in a 48-4 defeat of Lebanon in the 2022 World Cup quarter finals, and is primed to terrorise the Poms.

Addo-Carr wore the No.9 jumper in that tournament, joking he was an improved version of Test hooking legend Cameron Smith.

“I can’t wait to get back over there,” he said of the Ashes trip to the UK.

“This will be my first time playing England.

“In the last World Cup, Samoa beat England in the semi-final, so we didn’t get the chance to play England in the final.

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“I always wanted to play against England so this is a massive achievement.

“To play in the Ashes, they haven’t been on for 20 years, so going on this tour, I have pretty much achieved everything in the game.

“To have the opportunity to represent my country again, I can’t wait to rip in and I don’t want to let down the people who have backed me over the 12 months to get my career back on track.”