The opening round couldn't have gone much better for the Bulldogs. A victory in Las Vegas to start the 2026 campaign felt like the vindication of Phil Gould's rebuild, the kind of statement that sets a season in motion. Yet behind the scenes, one of the club's most dangerous attacking weapons is stewing over his future at Belmore.
After reports that Bronson Xerri was ready to request an immediate release, Gould denied those claims, saying he spoke with both Xerri and his manager, who said that neither has asked for a release or even discussed the matter. But the denials come with a sting: Xerri has reportedly requested an immediate release from the Bulldogs, with reports suggesting he has become unhappy after being shifted to right centre this season.
What's clear is that Xerri is aggrieved. Xerri was part of Canterbury's opening round side which defeated St George Illawarra during golden point in Las Vegas, running for 144 metres with 24 tackles. That was vintage Xerri, the kind of performance that reminds everyone why he's valued so highly. Then came the news: he's being dropped for Thursday's clash against the Raiders, with the positional shift to right centre this season cited as the source of his frustration.
Xerri joined Canterbury in 2024 and is unsettled at Belmore after being shifted to right centre. The numbers don't reveal the whole story, but they hint at the problem. A centre of Xerri's calibre expects to be nailed down to a position where he can build rhythm and chemistry. Shifting him across the field during a rebuild phase, no matter how sound the tactical reasoning, was always going to sting.
The meeting between Gould and Xerri on Sunday morning was meant to clear the air. Gould said he and Xerri would be having breakfast together before training, and Xerri would be training with the NRL squad as per usual. Captain Stephen Crichton has backed his teammate. "I know the people upstairs, Gus and Ciro will sort that out and put the club first," he said. It's the kind of support that matters; what Crichton says in the sheds carries weight.
The broader context matters too. There are rumblings Canterbury could name rookie Mitchell Woods into the halves when he returns from injury, and switch five-eighth Matt Burton to the centres, where he began his career and also represented NSW at Origin level. If those changes come, Xerri's minutes in the centres could be squeezed further. Xerri joined the Bulldogs after completing a four-year drug suspension and has quickly established himself as one of the NRL's elite centres, and was rewarded with a contract extension until the end of 2027.
For a player of his experience and pedigree, the prospect of becoming a utility piece rather than a strike weapon would understandably rankle. The frustration is understandable, even if the reports of a formal release request remain contested. Whether Gould can convince him that a clear pathway exists remains the question hanging over Belmore this week.