Tim Simona has been cleared to return to rugby league after the NRL green-lighted his long-awaited comeback in the Canterbury Cup.

Blacktown Workers, the feeder team for Manly, have signed Simona for the remainder of the season. It is the first step towards what Simona hopes will be an eventual NRL return after spending the last two-and-a-half seasons on the sidelines.

The NRL has allowed former Wests Tigers winger Tim Simona to return to rugby league. Credit:Anna Warr

The former Wests Tigers winger hasn’t played since he was deregistered indefinitely for breaching NRL rules for betting on games, including on opposition teams and players. Simona also copped an 18-month good behaviour bond after he pleaded guilty to dishonestly obtaining property by deception after pocketing money from the sale of signed club jerseys that were auctioned for children's cancer charity Camp Quality.

There have been plenty of false starts in Simona’s quest to return to the sporting arena. The Super League knocked back attempts to sign with English clubs and he was forced to pull out of a charity boxing bout last year after the Combat Sports Authority refused to register him.