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Bronson Xerri choked back tears as his mother Teresa made an emotional speech after Friday night’s dramatic 30-26 win about her pride in how he hard he had fought to return to the NRL against Sydney Roosters.
Xerri, whose last NRL appearance was in 2019 for Cronulla, received a late call-up for his Bulldogs debut after winger Blake Wilson withdrew due to illness, so Teresa presented him with his jersey after the match.
After being selected for his NRL debut in Round 4 of the 2019 Telstra Premiership, the Sharks recorded a video of the then 18-year-old breaking the news to his parents that went viral on social media.
He had little time to prepare for his NRL return with the Bulldogs but the first person he called was again Teresa, and the club helped organise tickets for family and friends at short notice.
“I think that this was way more important and way more special than my actual debut,” Xerri said.
“Obviously, with what I've been through in the whole four years and to come back, you know that that was definitely more special.
“It's emotional thinking about it, [because] as much as I put myself in that position, I've grown so much as a person and I’ve got my close friends and family around me that helped me through those four years.
“Straight away I called my mum, I called my dad, I called everyone. I had to go back to my room and just really take a breath and say, ‘alright, my focus is the game and I need to put my best foot forward’.”
As he ran onto Accor Stadium in the pouring ran for the match against the Roosters, Xerri took time to reflect on how far he had come since being offered a lifeline from Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo.
“I think getting told a few hours before the game, it didn't really sink in until I got out there in the warm-up,” he said. “When I ran out there I took a deep breath, and I was just extremely grateful.
“I just kind of soaked it all in and I said, ‘I'm back, This is where I belong’.
“Ciro has told me I'm only going to get better from here and I trust him. I'm going to training him every day and working on my game, so for my sixth game in four years I'm proud of myself.
“I've been out for four years, so I didn't expect to come back and be in the starting side. I just wanted to earn that spot so hopefully I’ve showed that I'm capable of keeping that spot, and hopefully he picks me for next week.”
Xerri, whose last NRL appearance was in 2019 for Cronulla, received a late call-up for his Bulldogs debut after winger Blake Wilson withdrew due to illness, so Teresa presented him with his jersey after the match.
After being selected for his NRL debut in Round 4 of the 2019 Telstra Premiership, the Sharks recorded a video of the then 18-year-old breaking the news to his parents that went viral on social media.
He had little time to prepare for his NRL return with the Bulldogs but the first person he called was again Teresa, and the club helped organise tickets for family and friends at short notice.
“I think that this was way more important and way more special than my actual debut,” Xerri said.
“Obviously, with what I've been through in the whole four years and to come back, you know that that was definitely more special.
“It's emotional thinking about it, [because] as much as I put myself in that position, I've grown so much as a person and I’ve got my close friends and family around me that helped me through those four years.
“Straight away I called my mum, I called my dad, I called everyone. I had to go back to my room and just really take a breath and say, ‘alright, my focus is the game and I need to put my best foot forward’.”
As he ran onto Accor Stadium in the pouring ran for the match against the Roosters, Xerri took time to reflect on how far he had come since being offered a lifeline from Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo.
“I think getting told a few hours before the game, it didn't really sink in until I got out there in the warm-up,” he said. “When I ran out there I took a deep breath, and I was just extremely grateful.
“I just kind of soaked it all in and I said, ‘I'm back, This is where I belong’.
“Ciro has told me I'm only going to get better from here and I trust him. I'm going to training him every day and working on my game, so for my sixth game in four years I'm proud of myself.
“I've been out for four years, so I didn't expect to come back and be in the starting side. I just wanted to earn that spot so hopefully I’ve showed that I'm capable of keeping that spot, and hopefully he picks me for next week.”
