Josh Addo-Carr has revealed Rafael Nadal is the inspiration behind his excessive hand strapping which caught the eye of many commentators late in the season.

The Eels winger noticeably has heavy bandaging on both hands but it didn’t impede him from having a return to form and landing a spot in the Kangaroos squad.

Addo-Carr was selected after Zac Lomax pulled out with injury.

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Josh Addo-Carr. Nine

Speaking to 9news Sydney, Addo-Carr explained the reason behind his strapping.

“I’ve got busted fingers,” he said.

“When I strap fingers, I’ve got to strap them like this because when it’s all sweaty like that they fall off.

“I actually got the idea off Rafael Nadal, he straps his fingers when he holds the racquet.”

Addo-Carr also denied that the amount of strapping he uses impacts his ball-handling.

Rafael Nadal’s finger strapping.  Getty Images for ITF

Addo-Carr’s resurgence this year comes after he was sacked by the Bulldogs when he was fined and had his licence suspended for drug driving.

The winger’s form had been on a slight decline during that period too, having not been selected in Origin since 2023.

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The 30-year-old said he’s determined to prove any doubters wrong on the Ashes tour.

“And prove to myself that adversity won’t hold me back … there’s a lot of critics out there, a lot of receipts and stuff in my head that I kept,” he said.