Josh Addo-Carr happy for others to follow in his footsteps as Melbourne Storm finale begins

“Just because you learn what rugby league is and you learn a lot about yourself and where you want to go with your footy career.

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“That’s when you become a rugby league player and hopefully a first-grade player.”

Addo-Carr returned to the club this week after the border closures delayed his return from New South Wales where he began his pre-season with teammate George Jennings and some rugby union players at Lennox Head.

Addo-Carr and the rest of the Storm still haven’t had a definitive answer about what out-of-contract skipper Cameron Smith will be doing this season but the side is preparing as if he won’t be in blue and purple with 43 days until round one.

Addo-Carr joked he still couldn’t rule out Smith making a last gasp return.

“I remember in my first season he had the two-week pre-season and came back two weeks before we started playing [trial games],” Addo-Carr said.

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“So it wouldn’t surprise me [if he came back] but I don’t know. He’s the best to ever do it so whatever he decides to do, I’ll be happy for him and everyone else will be happy for him.“

Even without Smith and winger Suliasi Vunivalu (rugby union), Addo-Carr still thinks the Storm can go back-to-back.

“One hundred per cent,” Addo-Carr said. “The pre-season builds your year and from what I’ve heard everyone has had a great pre-season so far and we still have a lot of players in the team from last year.

“Suli is a big loss, Cam is a massive loss as well but we have just go to overcome and adapt.”

After spending almost all of last season on the road due to COVID-19 and then spending the off-season in New South Wales, Addo-Carr said the combination of a long time away and the exhausting Storm training regiment had him looking forward to one thing.

“Here you are sore every day, it’s just the normal thing down here bruh,” Addo-Carr said. “I’m just happy to be back with the boys and I miss my bed. I haven’t been in my bed for a full year.”