Bronson Xerri fails drug test on eve of NRL’s return

The NRL has been rocked on the eve of the game’s return by revelations Bronson Xerri, one of the game’s brightest stars, has failed a drug test.

Bronson Xerri has failed a drugs test. Picture: AAP.

The NRL has been rocked on the eve of the game’s return by revelations one of the game’s brightest stars has failed a drug test.

Cronulla centre Bronson Xerri returned a positive A-sample for exogenous Testosterone, Androsterone, Etiocholanolone and 5b-androstane-3a,17b-diol, which are prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency and the NRL’s Anti-Doping Policy. He was tested by the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority on November 25 last year

Xerri, who has been provisionally suspended, has been earmarked as a potential State of Origin player.

The failed test, confirmed by the NRL on Tuesday afternoon, is the last thing the NRL needed ahead of the return of the competition.

Only 24 hours earlier, Xerri had spoken to the media and talked about his fears that he had put the entire NRL season in jeopardy when he tested for coronavirus some weeks ago.

“It was at the start of coronavirus when it was getting big. I remember calling my doctor saying ‘what do I do?’,” Xerri said.

“It was the worst I had ever been. I couldn’t get out of bed, I was shaking. He said ‘you have to go get tested’.

“As soon as I got off the phone with the doctor, I went straight to the hospital and got tested. We couldn’t do anything about it and we just have to wait for the results. I got the results at 12 o’clock that night. I waited up that night to get that result to hear it was negative.

“I thought I was going to shut down the whole NRL.”

Xerri was sidelined for the opening two rounds of the season as he recovered from shoulder surgery.

However, he was due to make his return for the Sharks on Saturday against the Wests Tigers. His career now hangs in the balance.

The news comes at the worst possible time for the NRL who are bracing for the return of the competition when Brisbane hosts Parramatta at Suncorp Stadium on Thursday night.

Cronulla said in a statement Xerri has been stood down from training and playing responsibilities until his B-sample could be analysed.

“The club has been in contact with Bronson and has offered him full welfare support as he deals with this situation,” the statement said.

More to come