Josh Addo-Carr’s sensational form has him within reach of a State of Origin debut and a piece of NRL history.
The flying Melbourne winger’s hat-trick in a losing side on Sunday took his tally to an equal competition high 11, along with Warriors centre David Fusitu’a.
It also marked the fourth consecutive game in which he has scored at least two tries.
Only former Parramatta powerhouse Semi Radrada has done better, breaking a 61-year-old record when he managed the feat in five successive games during the 2015 season.
The 22-year-old Addo-Carr, nicknamed The Fox, has emerged as one of the competition’s most exciting athletes thanks to his devastating speed and agility.
And it has put arguably the NRL’s fastest man in the box seat for an Origin debut on June 6 in Melbourne in what would be a dramatic rise from rugby league obscurity two years ago.
“It’s fantastic that my name’s getting tossed around,” he said.
“I just can’t believe that I’ve been put in this position, but I don’t let it (the speculation) distract me, you can’t worry about that stuff.”
The indigenous talent let out a trademark roaring laugh when posed with the idea of running out in front of 55,000 screaming fans in the third Origin later this year.
“It’s every NRL player’s dream to play Origin and if it comes up I’ll take it,” he said.
“It’d be an experience, but you can’t worry about that stuff … I don’t let it distract me and I’m not too fussed about the talk.”
Addo-Carr, who is studying to be a youth worker and teacher aide, will get a Suncorp Stadium dress rehearsal of sorts on Saturday.
As part of the NRL’s Indigenous Round, the Storm play the Gold Coast Titans before Manly meet Brisbane in a Suncorp Stadium double header.
Teams will wear indigenous-inspired uniforms on a weekend Addo-Carr rates among the most special of the season.
“I do a lot of stuff with indigenous kids and it’s something I’m very passionate about,” he said.
“Down there it’s an AFL city, but telling my story I’m proud to tell them what I’ve gone through and give them some belief.”
