Josh Addo-Carr endured excruciating pain as he soldiered on with a suspected broken collarbone for an astonishing 33 minutes during Saturday night's game.
The Bulldogs winger, affectionately known as the "Foxx," underwent scans following his team's 26-8 defeat to Parramatta at CommBank Stadium, already assuming there'd be a challenging road to recovery ahead.
Addo-Carr sustained the injury in a collision with Eels back-rower Bryce Cartwright early in the seventh minute but refused to exit the field until halftime. Despite his evident discomfort and limited mobility in his right shoulder, he persisted, even mustering four carries and executing a tackle.
Reflecting on his gritty performance, Addo-Carr shared: "I couldn't lift my arm; it was instant pain. But the boys needed me to play 40 minutes. You're in the moment, and all I had to do was get through the half."
"I think it's a broken collarbone. It's weird. I felt pain, but it's sore at the front and the back, and even in my sternum.
"I'll get the scans, then set another goal to get back as quickly as possible โ I'll come back fit and firing."
Captain Stephen Crichton commended Addo-Carr's resilience, recalling their conversation on the field.
"He's tough," Crichton remarked. "I actually spoke to him when it first happened, I told him we had no backs on the bench. He looked at me and said, 'I've got you, bra'."
Crichton highlighted Addo-Carr's selflessness and team-first attitude, noting his commitment to playing through adversity.
Coach Cameron Ciraldo echoed the sentiments with The Sydney Morning Herald, praising Addo-Carr's dedication to the team. He also acknowledged the depth within the squad, with several contenders vying to fill the void left by Addo-Carr's absence.
