EXCLUSIVE: Fittler urges Bulldogs not to 'wait for the circus to leave' in Josh Addo-Carr saga

Brad Fittler has urged the Bulldogs to pick Josh Addo-Carr for the second week of NRL finals should the team make it, amid uncertainly around the turnaround time for the results of his roadside drug test.

Addo-Carr made himself unavailable for selection in the Bulldogs' elimination final against the Sea Eagles this weekend, despite neither the NRL or the club having the power to stand him down as he waits for the test result in a limbo of sorts.

The Bulldogs winger allegedly returned a positive reading for cocaine on an initial roadside drug test last Friday night.

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The turnaround for the results of the test is unclear, although Bulldogs football boss Phil Gould said it's possible it could take as long as three months.

Fittler said that was no reason for the club to keep Addo-Carr on the sidelines.

"You can't wait for the circus to leave," he said on Wide World of Sports' Freddy and the Eighth.

"If they go through, he sat out this week, he stayed away from their presentation, but he can't wait and hope the circus will go away.

"What happens if he pulls out, doesn't play, and then it comes back negative?"

To Bulldogs officials, Addo-Carr has staunchly defended his innocence.

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After the results of a urine test taken of Addo-Carr's own accord on Monday morning came back negative for any drugs, Gould said the window of time for him to have taken cocaine to test positive on Friday was so narrow that he was "extremely confident" his gun winger was telling the truth.

Gould said Addo-Carr made the "noble" decision to stand down to avoid distracting this teammates.

"We sat him down and said 'this is the week ahead if we name you, and this is the week ahead if you stand down and we go from there'," Gould said on Wide World of Sports' Six Tackles with Gus.

"He considered both options, and said in the best interests of the team and the club, it's probably best I stand down this week.

"He made that decision there and then, which was a noble thing for him to do."

Gould said he later sat down and explained the situation to the playing group, but insisted the outside noise wouldn't penetrate the club's inner sanctum.

"Everyone's fine. I think the media and fans probably read more into the effect it has on the club more than anything," he explained.

"These sort of thunderbolts get thrown at professional sports organisations all the time – particularly in rugby league.

"Internally, it doesn't have that much of an effect. Everyone sort of deals with it, they've understood the landscape, and we all sort of move on.

"But it distracts the media and fans, which is why we wanted to nip it in the bud.

"It's disappointing Josh won't be there, and that will disappoint a lot of fans."

Should the Bulldogs beat Manly in front of an expected crowd of 50,000 at Accor Stadium on Sunday afternoon, they will take on the loser of the Penrith-Roosters clash on Friday night.