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Natboy

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I’m looking forward to more announcements and more egg on faces
 

TABOO

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Thompson signed!
Finally some action
 

Vlasnik

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Thompson leaving St Helens to beef up Bulldogs pack
Author
Dan WalshNRL.com Reporter
Timestamp
Tue 4 Feb 2020, 06:09 AM

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St Helens have announced highly rated English prop Luke Thompson will be heading to the NRL in 2021 to beef up the Canterbury pack.

The Bulldogs, who are yet to make an official announcement regarding Thompson's signing, have trumped several NRL suitors including the Warriors, Titans as well as St Helens to secure the 24-year-old.


He will see out the final year of his contract with the Super League club before moving to Australia next season.

St Helens chairman Eamonn McManus confirmed his club’s “bitter disappointment” at losing Thompson in the early hours of Tuesday morning AEDT.

His signature is a coup for the Dogs given their recent years of salary cap hardships.

The Bulldogs have farewelled representative props David Klemmer, James Graham and Aaron Woods in recent years as it reshaped a roster hamstrung by back-ended contracts.

Thompson will pack down alongside another representative prop in Dylan Napa from next season.

St Helens also came to the table with a lucrative offer to keep Thompson at his junior club, but were trumped by the Bulldogs' lucrative offer and the lure of proving himself in the NRL.


SBW returns to rugby league


SBW returns to rugby league

Dumped English coach Wayne Bennett is also a fan after handing him his Test debut in 2018, while new Titans mentor Justin Holbrook pursued Thompson having coached him at St Helens as recently as last year’s Super League premiership-winning campaign.

It has been suggested Canterbury could secure Thompson for 2020 by paying a transfer fee which would not come under their salary cap for the coming season.

But it’s understood the Bulldogs do not have the salary cap space to fit Thompson in this year, and St Helens appear loath to release a key player as they bid to defend their Super League title.

“We were informed last week that Luke has decided to join Canterbury Bulldogs next season,” McManus said in a club statement.

“We accept and totally respect Luke’s decision and wish him nothing but success in his career and in his life.


“We are absolutely sure that he will be absolutely sure that he will be absolutely committed to the club and his teammates for the rest of this season.

“There’s no hiding from the fact that this is a bitter disappointment to all of us as Luke has been connected to the club since the age of 11 and has developed into an absolute top player at 24 years old.

“If ever he decides to return to England and to Super League then there would be a red carpet waiting for him at St Helens.”

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TABOO

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It is annoying though that we find out from the papers first. What happened to communication with the fans and letting us know of new developments?

It would have looked better coming from the club.
 

Sleeky

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How many accounts does one person have?
 

Vlasnik

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Luke Thompson to leave St Helens for NRL side Canterbury Bulldogs at end of season
Last Updated: 03/02/20 2:52pm



Luke Thompson was the man of the match in St Helens' Grand Final victory in October
Luke Thompson will leave St Helens when his contract expires at the end of the 2020 season and join Canterbury Bulldogs.

Saints confirmed that Thompson, who was the man of the match in the Grand Final in October, will be heading to Australia after the conclusion of the current Super League campaign.

Saints chairman Eamonn McManus said: "We were informed last week that Luke has decided to join Canterbury Bulldogs next season.

"We accept and totally respect Luke's decision and wish him nothing but success in his career and in his life. We are absolutely sure that he will be absolutely committed to the club and to his team-mates for the rest of this season.

"There's no hiding from the fact that this is a bitter disappointment to all of us as Luke has been connected to the club since the age of 11 and has developed into an absolute top player at 24 years old.

"If ever he decides to return to England and to Super League then there would be a red carpet waiting for him at St Helens."

Thompson is a product of the Saints Academy having been at the club since the age of 11 and has so far made 158 appearances, scoring 25 tries.

He has won three League Leaders' Shields - in 2014, 2018 and 2019 - as well as two Super League Grand Final rings in 2014 and more recently in 2019 - in a game which he took home the Harry Sunderland Trophy.

LUCKY LUKE HEADED TO BELMORE!!!! FINALLY SOMETHING TO GET EXCITED ABOUT :grinning:


IT TOOK A BULLDOZER TO PULL IT OVER THE LINE BUT WE FINALLY GOT A SIGNING :grinning:
 

Scoooby

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About time we had something go our way..!!
 

doggieaaron

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It is annoying though that we find out from the papers first. What happened to communication with the fans and letting us know of new developments?

It would have looked better coming from the club.
I think youll find the dogs would be paying the player and st helens the respect of letting them announce it first
 

Natboy

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Eggboy now? I preferred your previous avatar mate ;)
Haha yep. Maybe we can do a 3 way swap, you give Horse your Deadpool, you can have my eggboy & I’ll get the four young bulldogs pups on a beach again haha
 

Interestingg

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We need a gun spine player and then we can consider making the 8
 

wendog33

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Haha yep. Maybe we can do a 3 way swap, you give Horse your Deadpool, you can have my eggboy & I’ll get the four young bulldogs pups on a beach again haha
Nah Deadpool's mine. You won't keep that egg for long will you :grinning:
 

Natboy

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Nah Deadpool's mine. You won't keep that egg for long will you :grinning:
Haha. I’ll see if the whinging and death riding stops. I give it 2 days
 

Haddaway

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Mate we've got DWZ, Lewis, Cogger and JMK...we're good there lol.

What position woiluld you like us to sign next? Half, hooker or FB. You can't say all LOL

I think we can make do with DWZ at FB if we get a creative hooker and Brandon jags a starting spot through out the season.

Canberra barring some dodgy calls could have won this year and CNK isn't very creative from the back.

What's your preferred position for our next signing?
 
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