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AAP
Sport
Scott Bailey

Bulldogs search for Addo-Carr NRL solution

Josh Addo-Carr is yet to score a try for Canterbury in five NRL matches since leaving the Storm. (AAP)

Canterbury know the key to ending the longest try-scoring drought of Josh Addo-Carr's career isn't as simple as just getting the game's fastest man more ball.

It's about good ball, in good space.

Addo-Carr will enter the traditional Good Friday clash against South Sydney without a try in his last seven games.

Five of those have been in Bulldogs colours, with the drought dating back to the first week of the finals last year at the Storm.

It's a far cry from the Addo-Carr who scored 23 tries in 22 games last season.

Or the man who in one game against the Rabbitohs last year, bagged six tries on his own.

Getting through work with ball in hand hasn't been a problem for Addo-Carr this year.

Notably he is doing more of it than in any other year of his career, taking more than 13 carries a match.

His yardage is also up, helping the Bulldogs come out of their own end as they look to end their four-game losing streak.

But crucially, it's about where he gets it.

Of Canterbury's 44 play-the-balls in Penrith's half last week, the ball was not passed to Addo-Carr at all.

In fact, the Bulldogs flyer touched it just three times inside the opposing half.

Twice when he went to dummy-half and passed off the ground, and once more when he broke free from his own end and put Joe Stimson over.

On one occasion in the second half, Addo-Carr roved behind the play and across the field to search for the ball with the Bulldogs in attack but still couldn't find it.

It's something the Bulldogs know they must find a solution to, with more ways to get Addo-Carr into free space.

"We do. And obviously with Josh a lot of the space that he gets is created by the blokes inside him," coach Trent Barrett said.

"He is going to be the beneficiary of that.

"The more we can move the ball and the better we can get there and the better field position we can get.

"It's earning the right to play too. Our forwards have a job to gain some momentum before we can shift the footy.

"It's all linked in together, and the whole 17 need to play well for the individuals to play well."

Addo-Carr himself is also well aware that will take time, but is insistent the tries will eventually arrive.

"I know what my job is, that's trying to come out of my own end and get the metres for the boys," he said last week.

"All that stuff will come down the track.

"If you start worrying about that other stuff like scoring tries, it plays on you mind. That stuff will come."

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