ʙʀᴏɴꜱᴏɴ xᴇʀʀɪ’ꜱ ʙᴜʟʟᴅᴏɢꜱ ꜱᴛᴀʀᴛ ᴅᴀᴛᴇ
Via Telegraph Sport [emoji438] Michelle Carayannis and Brent Read
Bronson Xerri will begin training with the Bulldogs two months before his ban is due to officially end.
Bronson Xerri has been given a firm date for his comeback.
Xerri, suspended for four years by Sport Integrity Australia and the NRL after returning a positive test to a cocktail of drugs, will be allowed to resume training with Canterbury on September 24 - two months before his ban is due to officially end.
Sport Confidential understands that Xerri was notified of his return date by the NRL in the past week. It means the 22-year-old finally has some certainty around his future as he prepares to make his return with the Bulldogs, having agreed to join the club for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
Xerri was one of the rising stars in rugby league before his career was placed in jeopardy when he failed a drug test in November 2019. He was provisionally suspended in May 2020 before he was formally handed a four year ban in March 2021, which was backdated to the date of his initial test.
Having struck a deal to make his comeback with the Dogs, Xerri now has confirmation of when he will be able join his new teammates under the roof at Belmore Sports Ground.
“I’m going to come back and prove everyone wrong,” he said in January. “My journey has been an up-and-down roller coaster. “I would love to come back and make every rep team possible. I want to win a premiership.”
The way things are tracking, he will likely start his pre-season training alone - the Bulldogs will be on holidays in September unless they qualify for the finals.
Under Sport Integrity Australia guidelines, banned athletes are allowed to resume training two months before their ban is due to end.
SIA guidelines also deem suspended athletes are not allowed to train with other athletes. However, Xerri is allowed to spend time with athletes or support personnel for social reasons during events which are not sports related - he can go to the pub with his future teammates.
The rules also state that he is subject to testing while sanctioned.
