Josh Addo-Carr could make NRL return against Bulldogs

Parramatta will be free to apply for Josh Addo-Carr to return from his drug-driving ban against old club Canterbury, in a spicy early-season NRL grudge match.

The Eels were on Thursday scheduled to face the Bulldogs in round three of the 2025 draw, with the match given Sunday afternoon billing at CommBank Stadium.

It had initially been thought Addo-Carr would return from his four-match ban in round four, having served his first game during this year's finals at Canterbury.

But the NRL's decision to keep the All Stars in February will now allow for Parramatta to argue for that match to count in his ban, given Addo-Carr is a regular in the Indigenous side.

If that is approved, Addo-Carr will then be able to play in round three, less than six months after the former Kangaroos winger had his contract terminated by the Bulldogs.

"He can definitely make an application for that, we don't have anything in front of us at the moment," NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said.

"There are a few considerations we have to work through prior to answering that question. But it is theoretically possible and there is a precedent for that."

The NRL had initially considered moving All Stars to the end of the season, but senior Indigenous players made a strong case for keeping it in its current slot.

The February 15 fixture means that Latrell Mitchell can also apply to serve his one-game integrity unit ban in that match, after the drawn-out drama at the end of last year.

That would allow the South Sydney fullback to return for the Rabbitohs in round one against the Dolphins, one week after Canberra and the Warriors kick off the season in Las Vegas.

Mitchell had been handed a one-game ban after a photo emerged of him with a white powder in August, with the NRL forcing him to serve the suspension when fit.

Elsewhere, star Wests Tigers recruit Jarome Luai will need to wait until the second half of the season for a highly-anticipated match-up against old side Penrith.

Arguably the biggest name to leave since the club's dynasty began, Luai and fellow ex-Panther Sunia Turuva will meet their old firm at CommBank Stadium in round 14.

The match falls in between the first and second State of Origin games but NSW duties will not sideline incumbent five-eighth Luai.

Prized Tigers recruit Terrell May won't meet the Sydney Roosters until round 18 on July 6, months after being abruptly granted permission to leave the Bondi club.

The Storm will have an early chance to avenge grand final heartbreak when they host Penrith for a Thursday night clash in round three.

The Panthers will also have faced 2024 top-eight sides Cronulla, North Queensland, Manly and the Sydney Roosters - twice - by the end of April.

South Sydney, meanwhile, will walk away from Thursday feeling the hardest done by.

They have the toughest draw of all sides, with Wayne Bennett facing a horror stretch on his return to Redfern with seven of last year's finalists in consecutive weeks between rounds three and nine.

Cronulla have also been handed a tough draw, facing every other top-eight team twice with the exception of the Panthers.

They will also need to travel to Townsville in round two, just 11 days after touching back down from Las Vegas.

Conversely, Canterbury are the biggest winners after reaching last year's finals for the first time since 2016.

They have the least travel of all clubs, play only three of last year's finalists in the first 16 rounds and have also been handed the equal-most free-to-air games with 14.

Canberra, Gold Coast and the Warriors all also face each of last year's top four only once, with the Knights booked in for the fewest match-ups against the top eight (nine).