News The Bulldogs have a huge problem on their hands with fears star recruit Luke Thompson could cut his NRL stint short.

Nasheed

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nasheed here, article behind paywall.
Please tell the boys what this is about
 
CrittaMagic69

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Wtf is this? Is this Thompson related??!!! If not I'm not coming back.
 
Jackson_1994

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Canterbury has a huge problem on its hands.
Star English recruit Luke Thompson is suffering significant emotional stress that has some fearing he may want to go home.

It is related to being so far away from his loved ones during the COVID lockdown
And it has got to the point where there are genuine concerns whether Thompson will last living in Australia long term.
It hasn’t been helped by the fact Thompson’s girlfriend has been unable to join him because of the international border restrictions.

After being “rested” for the Bulldogs’ clash against Canberra this week, chief executive Andrew Hill confirmed that the man who arrived in Australia with a rating as the world’s best prop was “doing it tough”.

There is even talk that Gold Coast is watching on with interest because Justin Holbrook was his coach at St Helens.
At this point, Thompson’s plight has not even made its way back home to St Helens. But he is struggling to adjust to life in the NRL in the incredibly difficult period of isolation.

“At the moment we can’t get his girlfriend out, so it is absolutely right, he is doing it tough,” Hill said. “He is in the bubble. He can’t leave home.

“He goes home to training, training to home, home training seven days a week.

“And he doesn’t live with anyone and he is in a new country. So, yes, it is tough for him.

“But we are working hard to try and get his partner out.”
Asked if he feared Thompson wanted to go home permanently, Hill added: “No, I have been talking to him. He is committed.

“He is looking forward to the challenge and settling in. And part of giving him a week off is trying to freshen that up and at least try and let him break the cycle a little.”

News Corp was also told Thompson hasn’t been completely happy with the situation he has walked into following Dean Pay’s sacking. The fact Trent Barrett won’t be joining the club until next year after he finishes his duties at Penrith is also another issue.

Thompson still has three more years to run on his contract with the Bulldogs following this season. But his form since arriving hasn’t lived up to the hype, and no doubt his personal situation wouldn’t have helped
Hill said the Bulldogs were doing everything in their power to try to help him through.

“It is tough for everyone in the bubble,” Hill said. “It is tough enough for people who have got family but if you are here by yourself, it has been tough going.

“It has been a challenging seven weeks living away from family and loved ones in another country and then in a bubble condition. We just have to keep working with him.”

Thompson had planned to return to England after the season but even that is now in doubt because of the border restrictions.

“Unfortunately you just can’t get on a plane and go,” Hill said.
 
diddly

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This was predicted on the kennel earlier this week.
 
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