The Melbourne Storm have suffered another blow in their desperate search for loan options, with reports their request to bring back a former club legend has been denied.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports that the Storm approached the Bulldogs about securing a possible loan for former Melbourne winger-turned-Bulldog Josh Addo-Carr.
Melbourne are currently in the throes of an injury crisis in the backline, with Ryan Papenhuyzen, Xavier Coates, Reimis Smith and George Jennings all long-term absentees that have impeded Craig Bellamy’s attempts to get any consistency out of his team.
While the Storm have already been tied to attempts to secure the services of Reece Walsh, it appears they’re widening their search as the dreaded August 1 deadline nears. Addo-Carr played 118 games in Melbourne colours, scoring 96 tries.
Canterbury denied the Storm’s loan request, with club GM Phil Gould telling the Herald Addo-Carr “meant too much to the club’s fans to allow him to take up the option with his former club.”
Addo-Carr was instrumental in the Bulldogs’ crucial win over the Gold Coast on Sunday, scoring a hat-trick of tries, leaping upon intercepts and relishing the space provided by the open style of play the team has embraced in recent weeks.
While Walsh and Addo-Carr have been the headline targets for the Storm, they’ve also made enquiries about Gold Coast youngster Jayden Campbell, as well as Wests Tigers pair Adam Doueihi and Dane Laurie.
The Tigers are reported to be considering releasing Laurie – who played his best game of the year in the heartbreaking defeat to the Cowboys – in the hopes he can gain some more experience in a system as highly-regarded as Melbourne’s.
Laurie is off-contract at the end of 2023, and the Tigers may hold the view that valuable experience at the Storm will benefit the club whether they retain Laurie’s services or move him on.
