News Another write up on Thompson signing

[Psycho Doggie]

'Second best isn't good enough': Bulldogs win race to sign England star Luke Thompson

The Bulldogs have stunned the NRL world by landing the prized signature of star English prop Luke Thompson.

Thompson will join Canterbury for the 2021 season, having put pen to paper on a four-year deal.

Luke Thompson has signed with the Bulldogs for 2021. CREDIT:PA

Thompson had been chased by several NRL clubs - including the Rabbitohs, Warriors and Titans - but the Bulldogs have come up trumps and landed the signature of the St Helens star.

"Even though Luke is at the start of his career, we have been really impressed by his on-field leadership qualities and his desire to be the best,'' Bulldogs CEO Andrew Hill said. "He is an excellent player who has become a star of the Super League and has shown what he is capable of at international level and we are looking forward to him getting the chance to show everyone in the NRL what he is capable of.

"We feel as though we are creating a really strong squad moving forward and to have someone of Luke’s calibre want to be part of that and to buy in to what we are building here is a big vote of confidence in the club and the future.

"I am sure that our members and fans are going to love seeing him run out in the blue and white and continue the tradition of English forwards who have prospered in the NRL."

The 24-year-old has already represented both England and Great Britain and is rated as one of the best, if not the best, prop in the Super League.

He will beef up a Canterbury pack which lacked star power in 2019.

"Getting the chance to join the Bulldogs and be a part of a club with so much history and with such passionate fans is very exciting. Having spoken to many people at the club and listened to their plans for the future, I know that they are building for success and I’m looking forward to being part of that," Thompson said.

"When you join a club like the Bulldogs you know about the players and the culture that has gone before you and the fact that second best isn’t good enough and that was something that was important to me.

"I look forward to joining them for the 2021 season and getting to be a part of a talented squad that is hungry for success and this will now enable me to focus on having a great final season with St Helens."

Sauce

 

[GrogDog]

Noice

 

[Mitch Connor]

Sam Phillip's got paid to type up 3 lines of his own.. 1 of which included the wrong amount of years he has signed for.


Peak journalism

 

[flamebouyant]

'Second best isn't good enough': Bulldogs win race to sign England star Luke Thompson

The Bulldogs have stunned the NRL world by landing the prized signature of star English prop Luke Thompson.

Thompson will join Canterbury for the 2021 season, having put pen to paper on a four-year deal.

Luke Thompson has signed with the Bulldogs for 2021. CREDIT:PA

Thompson had been chased by several NRL clubs - including the Rabbitohs, Warriors and Titans - but the Bulldogs have come up trumps and landed the signature of the St Helens star.

"Even though Luke is at the start of his career, we have been really impressed by his on-field leadership qualities and his desire to be the best,'' Bulldogs CEO Andrew Hill said. "He is an excellent player who has become a star of the Super League and has shown what he is capable of at international level and we are looking forward to him getting the chance to show everyone in the NRL what he is capable of.

"We feel as though we are creating a really strong squad moving forward and to have someone of Luke’s calibre want to be part of that and to buy in to what we are building here is a big vote of confidence in the club and the future.

"I am sure that our members and fans are going to love seeing him run out in the blue and white and continue the tradition of English forwards who have prospered in the NRL."

The 24-year-old has already represented both England and Great Britain and is rated as one of the best, if not the best, prop in the Super League.

He will beef up a Canterbury pack which lacked star power in 2019.

"Getting the chance to join the Bulldogs and be a part of a club with so much history and with such passionate fans is very exciting. Having spoken to many people at the club and listened to their plans for the future, I know that they are building for success and I’m looking forward to being part of that," Thompson said.

"When you join a club like the Bulldogs you know about the players and the culture that has gone before you and the fact that second best isn’t good enough and that was something that was important to me.

"I look forward to joining them for the 2021 season and getting to be a part of a talented squad that is hungry for success and this will now enable me to focus on having a great final season with St Helens."

Sauce

Fuck yeah! Finally the prized signature we have all been hoping for! I hope this will help appease the people constantly complaining that we having signed anyone decent.
This is a massive signing!!!!

 

[BELMORE]

Sam Phillip's got paid to type up 3 lines of his own.. 1 of which included the wrong amount of years he has signed for.


Peak journalism

That’s the standard these days

 

[Scoooby]

Definitely gaining momentum and at least the deals done now, stories can keep rolling and it’s no longer a pipe dream

 

[KLil]

Sam Phillip's got paid to type up 3 lines of his own.. 1 of which included the wrong amount of years he has signed

Peak journalism

How many years did he sign for and any amounts out there yet.

 

[KLil]

Definitely gaining momentum and at least the deals done now, stories can keep rolling and it’s no longer a pipe dream

Still need a Fisher Harris with Napa and RT or Tolman and we have a premiership winning front row.

 

[DinkumDog]

How many years did he sign for and any amounts out there yet.

3 years. $ not quoted and don’t see why they need to be - that’s between the club and him and the NRL. As long as he earns them and we’re cap compliant I don’t care what he’s on.

 

[Bulldogs09]

Still need a Fisher Harris with Napa and RT or Tolman and we have a premiership winning front row.

I’d be really happy with fisher Harris added.

Him Napa Thompson and Renouf sounds fucking great.

Stimson
Chn
Jackson

Backrow.

Though we really need a fucking quality back or 2

 

[KLil]

I’d be really happy with fisher Harris added.

Him Napa Thompson and Renouf sounds fucking great.

Stimson
Chn
Jackson

Backrow.

Though we really need a fucking quality back or 2

Don't forget kids like Doorey, Topine and Pitavao coming through the ranks and surely one or even two will be knocking on the door.

Our depth will also be fantastic if we can keep guys like Smith, Britt or Ogden around on minimum wages.

Our backs definitely need something and sadly its probably a FB. I like DWZ but I'm hoping Smith kills centre, we jag a JAC or smiliar and the smokey Jake Averillo becomes the dynamic FB we crave pushing DWZ to the wing.

Still need a hooker though..

 

[KLil]

3 years. $ not quoted and don’t see why they need to be - that’s between the club and him and the NRL. As long as he earns them and we’re cap compliant I don’t care what he’s on.

Just nice to see how much of the cap we have left to budget with I guess..

 

[DinkumDog]

Just nice to see how much of the cap we have left to budget with I guess..

Yeah, I know many like to try to work that stuff out, but most of the modelling I've seen I reckon is not even close.
2021 is particularly interesting because not only is it the end of the cap/back-end/ratchet crisis, it's going to be a mixture of new recruits and upgrades/extensions from the existing squad.
Even trying to compare 2020 to 2021 I think will be night and day. ZeroTackle will no doubt throw up a number (if they haven't already ).

 

[TwinTurbo]

Don't forget kids like Doorey, Topine and Pitavao coming through the ranks and surely one or even two will be knocking on the door.
Our depth will also be fantastic if we can keep guys like Smith, Britt or Ogden around on minimum wages.
Our backs definitely need something and sadly its probably a FB. I like DWZ but I'm hoping Smith kills centre, we jag a JAC or smiliar and the smokey Jake Averillo becomes the dynamic FB we crave pushing DWZ to the wing.
Still need a hooker though..

I'm far from convinced that there is a fullback better than DWZ on the horizon.
I'm far from convinced that at his current rate of improvement JMK isn't a long term hooker solution.
I'm far from convinced that Meaney isn't becoming a very capable winger and reliable goal kicker for us going forward.
I'm far from convinced that Ogden is long term NRL material.

Big season of questions to be answered coming up.

Go Dogs

 

[TwinTurbo]

Yeah, I know many like to try to work that stuff out, but most of the modelling I've seen I reckon is not even close.
2021 is particularly interesting because not only is it the end of the cap/back-end/ratchet crisis, it's going to be a mixture of new recruits and upgrades/extensions from the existing squad.
Even trying to compare 2020 to 2021 I think will be night and day. ZeroTackle will no doubt throw up a number (if they haven't already ).

There are also a number of back ended contracts ending this year that make guessing the numbers much harder. What we do know is that the following are off contract this year;
Cogger, Doorey, Elliott, RFM, Foran, Harding, Harper, Holland, TKatoa, Montoya, Sue, Tass, Tolman, Wakeham and Winters-Chang.
Conservatively that's gotta be getting close to $4.7m in freed up Cap, take out, say, $700k for Thompson, that leaves around $4m. Should be able to get the 2 or 3 we need for that and then make up to the 30 on the NRL minimum.

Go Dogs

 

[Packstar]

I would love to see Jackson move to lock, though i get the feeling with a couple of injuries he has sustained to his shoulder, it would be a struggle for him to play week in week out in the middle.

I would have a crack at Jack Wighton and Tyson Frizell who are both off contract this year.

I think a Wighton/Wakeham combo would be quite dynamic and a forward pack consisting of - Thompson, Napa, Frizell, Jackson, To'omaga, CHN, Stimson would be up there with the best.

I am a fan of RFM, but sadly it looks like he is consistently going to be injured.

If we could nab Frizell, there would be no reason to re-sign RFM, Elliott & Tolman

 

[TwinTurbo]

I would love to see Jackson move to lock, though i get the feeling with a couple of injuries he has sustained to his shoulder, it would be a struggle for him to play week in week out in the middle.
I would have a crack at Jack Wighton and Tyson Frizell who are both off contract this year.
I think a Wighton/Wakeham combo would be quite dynamic and a forward pack consisting of - Thompson, Napa, Frizell, Jackson, To'omaga, CHN, Stimson would be up there with the best.
I am a fan of RFM, but sadly it looks like he is consistently going to be injured.
If we could nab Frizell, there would be no reason to re-sign RFM, Elliott & Tolman

Frizell isn't interested in moving anywhere, he's in the final stages of signing off what could be his last ever NRL contract with StGeorge.

Go Dogs

 

[Packstar]

Frizell isn't interested in moving anywhere, he's in the final stages of signing off what could be his last ever NRL contract with StGeorge.

Go Dogs

How would you know that, unless you are on the Dragons board?

 

[KLil]

I would love to see Jackson move to lock, though i get the feeling with a couple of injuries he has sustained to his shoulder, it would be a struggle for him to play week in week out in the middle.

I would have a crack at Jack Wighton and Tyson Frizell who are both off contract this year.

I think a Wighton/Wakeham combo would be quite dynamic and a forward pack consisting of - Thompson, Napa, Frizell, Jackson, To'omaga, CHN, Stimson would be up there with the best.

I am a fan of RFM, but sadly it looks like he is consistently going to be injured.

If we could nab Frizell, there would be no reason to re-sign RFM, Elliott & Tolman

Don't rule out Doorey, Topine and Pitavao over the next couple of years. Our backrow stocks are healthy as and think we need another prop. Another big robust prop like Fisher Harris would be nice.

 

[TwinTurbo]

How would you know that, unless you are on the Dragons board?

I know he has been knocking back approaches from other clubs since November, with his agent telling them he isn't interested in going anywhere. Wants to finish up his time at StGeorge.


Go Dogs