Bronson Xerri is facing a four-year ban for doping but Cronulla halfback Chad Townsend is confident it won’t mean the end of his NRL career.
After a nine-month ordeal from the original testing date in November, Xerri’s B-sample was confirmed positive for anabolic steroids on Tuesday.
The 19-year-old Sharks centre has a week to respond to a breach notice handed down by the NRL as he faces a four-year ban from any World Anti-Doping Agency-compliant sport.
Xerri can either plead guilty or face the NRL’s anti-doping tribunal to explain why he should not get the maximum four-year suspension.
Once considered a State of Origin star in the making, Xerri has been stood down since May 26, just four days before the Sharks resumed their season after the coronavirus shut down.
The notice came hours before the club was set to name their team to face Wests Tigers.
The original test was positive for a number of banned substances, including testosterone, androsterone and etiocholanolone, and took six months to be received by the NRL and Cronulla.
All the while the Sharks have been paying his NRL contract.
On Tuesday Sharks halfback Townsend said he had not spoken to Xerri since an initial WhatsApp message was sent to the team months ago.
However, he’s confident even a four-year ban would not be the end of his NRL career, as seen with Melbourne centre Sandor Earl who has since returned to the game.
“Yeah, he’s a young kid,” Townsend said.
“I’m not going to go too far into exactly what’s happened but we’ve seen a lot of people in NRL have second chances for mistakes that they have made.
“I’ve got no doubt if he’s got the fire in his belly to make a comeback then I’m sure he can do it.”
Xerri did not play the opening two games of the season for the Sharks as he recovered from shoulder surgery, but was set to return in round three.
The NRL said they would continue to provide support for Xerri during the appeals process.
Nat
Roar Rookie
You're asking for maturity beyond their years. You're also quoting NRL360, these guys know full well that the clubs give these players plenty of education around these issues. Xerri knew full well what the outcome would be if caught.
TC
Guest
As someone said on NRL 360 one night....these kids don't do anything in school except play footy. Maybe if they'd opened their minds a bit more they wouldn't be so dim.
mushi
Roar Guru
It's actually hard these days to test positive, most masking programs are ahead of testing. That's what surprised me about this the most.
mushi
Roar Guru
Lost me when you didn't go for the triple rhyme. Ie that's some truth abuse from the obtuse goose. You're better than that
Paul
Roar Guru
Your 100% right. Assuming he cops the fully penalty though, time is still on his side to atone and make a decent career. Hopefully people will give him a chance to do so.
Andrew
Roar Pro
That’s fair enough, it’s more the wasted potential I was pointing out. Give both his A & B samples were positive that’s something he’ll have to carry around with him for ever.
Nick
Roar Guru
Earl has been injured precisely because of the time spent out of the game. He's lost his conditioning. It will happen to Xerri too. Bad luck.
Hoy
Roar Guru
True, but he's been injured a lot. The tough thing here will be 4 years OUT... he won't be playing park footy or anything. To have that time off and hope to come back to professional level will be tough as... But this is deserved if he is proven to be a drug cheat without any explanation that is swallowable.
Hoy
Roar Guru
Dank got no kick in the bum at all.. he refused to testify, or even attend, and has essentially gotten away legally, scott free.. of course his name turd now.
Hoy
Roar Guru
I think the comment has something to do with Earl being the only player in the whole sorry Peptides saga who actually was given the boot...
Nick
Roar Guru
He'll be lucky to make it back to be honest. 3-4 years is a very long time. People refer to Sandor Earl, but at the end of the day he's played 7 games over nearly 2 years since coming back.
Nick
Roar Guru
Justin Gatlin too.
Farkurnell
Guest
Probably make a great episode on “The Voice” - Brondon sings .Sorry I meant Underbelly
Albo
Roar Rookie
Well he is certainly well behind Stephen Crichton, Zac Lomax & Bradman Best in the future centre stars stakes right now !
jameswm
Roar Guru
"He was bragging about how he found extra speed". Yep - red flags there.
jameswm
Roar Guru
I definitely agree they need to get to the bottom of this. If the club had nothing to do with it (and pretty confident there), then logically one of the guys he was working with physically has supplied him. And he was silly enough to take that advice and the illegal substances. There are red flags. Xerri needs to come clean fess up. That’s what you do when you plead guilty.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Looks like Xerri will have 4 years to think about his mistake. Like other players, he had done all the education. What part of that is harsh?
Andrew01
Roar Rookie
The Sharks gave us the social media video when he got told he was starting in first grade - why didn't we get the video of the call when he found out he got caught? That would have been an interesting call to mum... On the serious side though - Steroids/drugs are stupid, but in team sports in particular, we associate them with guys who are fighting to be noticed or to put them ahead of others. This kid was lauded by everyone in the game, there was no doubt he was going to be given a contract based on his potential not what he had already done.... and he still went down this path. His ceiling could have been Brad Fittler. Now, if he comes back in 4 years, he maybe gets to a Will Chambers level, but probably more Waqa Blake or Jamal Idris at best.
Paul
Roar Guru
Andrew, I think we shouldn't be too quick to judge, even if he is guilty, without getting a full understanding about the circumstances that led to him taking this substances. He's still completely responsible for what goes into his body, but we both know some 19 year olds are easily coerced and anyone, with enough persuasion, can be pressured into doing stupid things. If that's the case, he shouldn't be on his own in being penalised.
Nat
Roar Rookie
Ideally yes but that's a dark underworld he'll expose. He wouldn't know where that tunnel leads just his direct source. Shine a light on the wrong people and he may not see a field again.