News The Mole: Bulldogs facing 'huge decision' over 'rusty' recruit Bronson Xerri

[PeteHazz]

My 2 cents is Xerri will shock us; either shock us with how good, or how bad he goes. I really doubt he'll be middle of the road. He'll be busting a gut to prove himself. It'll either all stick and he'll star, or he'll try much too hard and crash and burn.

As a mad Dogs fan I'm hoping for the first and praying not the second

 

[Alan79]

yeah nah he needs time in reggies. He isn’t game fit. Game has changed a lot in the 4 years he’s been missing too. Anyway you’ll see, don’t get your hopes up but sounds like you think he’s ready for origin so good luck managing those feelings

It's a matter of opinion really. If he sat out 4 years with something close to a career ending injury, I'd be less inclined to think he'd need time in reggies. But he's young, he's obviously stayed in prime condition. From everything I've seen of training sessions, he's looking like a pace setter at training. So fitness wise I think he'll cope. But our utilities list means we can have someone on the bench that could cover the centres if he needs a spell.

His timing and defensive technique mightn't be perfect at first. But I think he's going to be better defending than Averillo was.

I really think he'll win a round 1 starting jersey. But I see both sides of the discussion are valid. If hard work is the magic ingredient in winning a starting place, he's not going to be out of the running. But then Wilson might be a surprise packet. Looks like he's busting a nut at training too.

End of the day it's nice to know that we've got better depth players in the backline now than we had starting a few years ago in my opinion anyway.

 

[Alan79]

I think people are looking at how Hopoate struggled when he came back to the game after 2 years out, and using that as their yard stick for how Xerri will do. But they are 2 very different examples. Hopoate was walking around pushing bibles down peoples throats, and Xerri has been training the house down to stay fresh and fit.
Xerri is an out and out talent, and I will be very surprised if he doesn't start round 1. Sure enough he will still take time to get his timing right, but fitness won't be an issue, nor motivation!!

That’s not it for me. I doubt very much hoops just stopped training and got lazy during his time off. These guys don’t get to the elite level with lack of enjoyment in exercise.

I just think it’s a case Hoppa was set for life with the eels and us.

Xerri hasn’t been paid yet. He’s a bloke with a black mark on his name as a guy that was touted to be international star.

I think the drive for redemption and the $ is the reason he will thrive. Mentally he wants it.

Hoppa simply already had it.

Also think he was just a nice guy. No doubt xerri has some **** in him.

Replying to a few Hoppa references here. Hopoate came back and asked for Sunday's off for church in his second contract. Piss poor attitude for a professional athlete to take. When he left he was a pretty explosive athlete. He came back and never looked like getting back to that level of athleticism. Whether that was because he came back on better money or not I could only guess at his reasons for lacking that motivation. He was a very solid player with a superb passing game for a centre. But he looked like he took it for granted.

Xerri is back looking fit, fast as ever and completely determined. And if they had hoops for him to jump through to get a starting spot he's jumped through them. There's no substitute for game time. But I just have a feeling that he'll have impressed the coaching staff and will line up for the start of the season in the NRL. But it's academic for now. The trials will give us a better idea of where he's at.

 

[ChesoBulldog]

It's a matter of opinion really. If he sat out 4 years with something close to a career ending injury, I'd be less inclined to think he'd need time in reggies. But he's young, he's obviously stayed in prime condition. From everything I've seen of training sessions, he's looking like a pace setter at training. So fitness wise I think he'll cope. But our utilities list means we can have someone on the bench that could cover the centres if he needs a spell.

His timing and defensive technique mightn't be perfect at first. But I think he's going to be better defending than Averillo was.

I really think he'll win a round 1 starting jersey. But I see both sides of the discussion are valid. If hard work is the magic ingredient in winning a starting place, he's not going to be out of the running. But then Wilson might be a surprise packet. Looks like he's busting a nut at training too.

End of the day it's nice to know that we've got better depth players in the backline now than we had starting a few years ago in my opinion anyway.

We’ll see
Yes depth agreed

 

[flamebouyant]

Replying to a few Hoppa references here. Hopoate came back and asked for Sunday's off for church in his second contract. Piss poor attitude for a professional athlete to take. When he left he was a pretty explosive athlete. He came back and never looked like getting back to that level of athleticism. Whether that was because he came back on better money or not I could only guess at his reasons for lacking that motivation. He was a very solid player with a superb passing game for a centre. But he looked like he took it for granted.

Xerri is back looking fit, fast as ever and completely determined. And if they had hoops for him to jump through to get a starting spot he's jumped through them. There's no substitute for game time. But I just have a feeling that he'll have impressed the coaching staff and will line up for the start of the season in the NRL. But it's academic for now. The trials will give us a better idea of where he's at.

Totally agree. Every player has not played a game in several months, and they will all come back a little rusty, as will most teams. I don't see this being any different for xerri. He will train his ass off until the trials, and based on his immense talent I cant see him not being picked.

 

[LordSidious66]

Totally agree. Every player has not played a game in several months, and they will all come back a little rusty, as will most teams. I don't see this being any different for xerri. He will train his ass off until the trials, and based on his immense talent I cant see him not being picked.

The "Sacking" threads will also begin after the first trial.

 

[dogwhisperer]

I spotted Xerri walking out of Rebel Miranda today, he look straight at my chest, I was wondering why he looked there, then I remembered I was wearing the bulldogs training singlet. The guy is a beast, hope he kills it this year!

 

[ChesoBulldog]

@Bulldogsteve any news from the hill on who cc is going to go with round 1 in the centres

 

[CrittaMagic69]

@Bulldogsteve any news from the hill on who cc is going to go with round 1 in the centres

He got banned again lmao

 

[ChesoBulldog]

He got banned again lmao

wish they'd ban him from belmore

walks around with his ipad logged into the kennel acting like he's the second coming of MattO

 

[MattyB]

Just read TK, rehash the content, throw in some punctuation and grammar to make yourself look like the pro-edition and voila. ChatGPT is going to put a lot of scribblers out to pasture anyway.

It's so obvious when someone is using it though, they go from 5 word sentances, to 30.

in most cases it doesn't read better than the original

 

[Ant2611]

Ok

Bets on boys. A thousand witnesses.

 

[Ant2611]

Hoppa also wasn't a drug cheat.

Get off your high horse chimp....I mean champ.....or do I.

 

[Ant2611]

Most people consider Cronulla will finish in the 8, Parramatta about 50/50, so it would seem to me that they are pretty decent teams to trial against.

I alway find it strange that all so often on here it is said that NSW Cup is miles below NRL standard and just because a players goes OK there doesn't mean that they will be any good in NRL. Yet some think that testing a player's ability to handle "physical demands" can be done in a NSW Cup game, very strange.

If I wanted to test out a player's ability to withstand the physical demands of an NRL game then I would have them play every minute of an NRL trial, that's a better indication than a NSW Cup Game. If there is any doubt then do it again for the second trial, if they can play every minute of that game then that's far better testing than a couple of NSW Cup games.

Time will tell, so far Xerri has ticked every box that the coaching staff has thrown at him, if they decide he is ready for Round 1 then so be it.


Always a Bulldog

I thought our two trial matches were against Melbourne and Sharks how does Parramatta fit in.

 

[Ant2611]

Just wanna clarify I think he will be fine but I’m just saying he won’t be ready straight out the gate
People have to be patient
Give him 6 weeks playing week to week

Every team and player are rusty in first few rounds

 

[Ant2611]

At this stage they are all training in different positions dog
Ill DM you when i have more definitive information

Me too please. Out of towners like me find it hard to get info on our team from the media specially in Qld. They still have Joe mentality and separative views.

 

[Ant2611]

Maybe he was dodging ASADA for 2 years . . .

He was dodging something. history showed he didn't have a football in his had that's for sure.

 

[Ant2611]

I don't think it's safe for me to say what I want to say on this matter so I won't say anything else.

Yep seems to me you are on a losing streak.

 

[Ant2611]

He was dodging something. history showed he didn't have a football in his had that's for sure.

Hand

 

[battered sav]

Xerri could be as good as or even better than Best.
Much more fun talking about Xerri and what round he starts, and other signings like Curran and Crichton, than throwing the remote at Flanagan on the TV every week. Or Waddell. Or TPJ.
OK, I'll stop there.
Hopefully my hair stops falling out this season because I don't have enough to spare any more.
It's already bad enough the Bulldogs turning my hair grey.
Every time my wife sees me naked she says 'hey, it's Cruella de Vil'.
Although to be fair, that did start happening when Tolman was playing.

I've killed two TV's watching dog's games. The first and messiest was with a red wine bottle when Hayne made us look even stupider than we actually were. The other was with a knitting needle. Who knew that in a fight between a knitting needle and a TV the knitting needle wins. Of course the dogs didn't win that game either.