Bronson Xerri put himself on top and came off second best in Canterbury Bulldogs culture battle

In that scenario, Xerri had one option: suck it up. He didn’t, and that’s how we found ourselves here.

Whether it was his sulking or his form, or a combination of both, Xerri was told on Saturday he would be left out of the side to play the Raiders in Canberra on Thursday night, with Enari Tuala playing right centre. By that afternoon, a story was published stating Xerri had asked for an immediate release and had most likely played his last game for the club.

That escalated quickly.

The truth is, while he may have been telling people he wanted out, no formal request had been made. That aside, things were blowing up on what was supposed to be a quiet bye weekend for the Bulldogs.

By the end of the day, Bulldogs general manager Phil Gould had arranged a breakfast meeting with Xerri on Sunday morning. We found all that out on Gus’ social media.

The breakfast happened, as did a meeting with Ciraldo in a side room at Belmore before Sunday morning training, which Xerri took part in alongside his new NSW Cup teammates.

Further meetings occurred between Xerri and his management. That’s a lot of meetings for a bloke who just got dropped, like thousands before him in the NRL.

Many Bulldogs players, former club captain Raymond Faitala-Mariner and hooker Reed Mahoney among them, have been sent down the highway by Ciraldo.

Just last November, Xerri signed an upgraded contract for 2026 with a one-year extension to the end of 2027 worth well north of half a million dollars a year. That’s a vote of confidence in a player who lost four years of his career for “knowingly and intentionally” taking anabolic steroids. The Bulldogs gave him a career lifeline, and then upgraded and extended it.

He has a lot to thank them for, and still does. His sulking could have sent him down the road to nowhere, but Ciraldo spared him and sent him to the back roads instead – namely NSW Cup.

As Xerri’s manager, George Christodoulou, said on Sunday, “you can’t kick stones”. Christodoulou and other cool heads made sure Xerri trained on Sunday and told him to suck it up and play his way back into first grade.

No matter what, it’s not likely to be the end of the matter. Once a player exhibits non-conforming behaviour like that in a team environment, it’s a long way back. An endless winding road back.

The fact Crichton had to front the media on Sunday, where he admitted he was blindsided by the whole thing, is not a situation that plays out well for Xerri.

Then again, Xerri might well just be a victim of the current NRL environment, where players who kick stones often get the outcome they desire.

One of his own teammates did just that. Lachie Galvin kicked and screamed until Wests Tigers let him go to join the Bulldogs, alongside Xerri.

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It’s little wonder players such as Xerri try the same thing when things don’t go their way. It’s a learnt behaviour.

He’s a good player, Xerri, but he’s not as good as his skipper, Crichton. He’s also a guy who has ended up being very highly paid, despite the fact he was a blatant cheat and got busted.

He should think long and hard while he’s on the back roads. A lot of good people gave him a second chance. Now he’s getting a third.