Josh Addo-Carr was a leading light for the Indigenous All Stars as they proved too strong for the Māori on Friday night, with the two-try hero relishing the opportunity to bring positivity to his people.
The annual clash was Addo-Carr’s first top-flight game since being forced to miss Australia’s Pacific Championships campaign after serving a suspension handed down from an incident at the 2023 Koori Knockout.
Much like the NRL Harvey Norman All Stars, the Koori Knockout is a celebration of Indigenous culture and resilience, as well as a rugby league competition, and 'The Foxx' says he was upset that his on-field altercation garnered more attention than the competition itself.
However, with his selection in the All Stars team, Addo-Carr took the opportunity to uplift his community with both hands and bring as much positivity as he could with his performance in the 22-14 win.
The Foxx grabs a double
“I'm a positive person, you know what I mean. I'm a positive person and everything happens for a reason and I think it just made me work harder, really,” Addo-Carr said.
“A little setback like that just made me work hard ... there's always going to be the negative people … it’s just the world that we live in, so all we can do is just keep positive and keep putting positive messages out there, supporting the communities, putting a smile on their faces and keep being strong for them.
“Show all the little kids out there what life's about and when they're in our shoes one day – and I'm sure they will be – they’ll need to do that and put smiles on people's faces.
"(We put in) a good performance; I think it just show how connected we were as a team."
Addo-Carr said he entered camp in great shape, having come back to pre-season training after adopting a new ‘all-meat’ diet which is part of his process of getting his mind and body right.
“It probably hasn't been the best over the last couple of years and that's where I'm heading at the moment, I'm just trying to get myself right and then the rest will take care of care of itself,” Addo-Carr said.
"(I realised I) needed to sacrifice a few things; get my body and my mind right and where I want.
“It is challenging, it just keeps you disciplined and consistent … (but it is like) how we used to eat back in the day; kangaroo and all kinds of meats and I just wanted to try it.
“It's worked for me over the last couple of months and it just keeps me disciplined and keeps me on that path.
“Pre-season is always tough; I’ve just learned over the years that you've got to give your body what it needs and that's the right food.
‘It makes me happy, it makes me sleep well, makes my mental state good and that's what I try to do.”
Being immersed in culture for the week has also had a positive impact on Addo-Carr, who like Indigenous Men's All Stars coach Ronald Griffiths, has advocated for more opportunities for Indigenous players to connect.
“I wish we had more time learning about culture because we don't get too many opportunities; we're busy, men and women. I want push for something more," Addo-Carr said.
“We say the same thing every year, we want a couple more camps and hopefully join in the World Cup somewhere down the track, both Māori and the Indigenous sides.
“It's just two competitive teams that are just going to make the world stage bigger and our game better.
“It’s another thing playing for your country and your state, but playing for your people, you can't explain it really."
