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The Bulldogs are exploring the prospect of star signing Luke Thompson arriving early to allow him to be part of this year’s premiership campaign.
Canterbury signed Thompson on a three-year deal beginning from 2021, but are hopeful he could play some role this year if St Helens are prepared to grant an early release. The Super League is yet to confirm a restart date, although August 1 has been pencilled in as the earliest possible target. That date appears ambitious given a growing number of English Premier League players have tested positive for the coronavirus.
The blue and whites have some room to move in their salary cap and their squad list given only 28 players were named as part of their Project Apollo bubble group. With up to four spots still vacant, the ‘family club’ hopes one of them could be taken up by Thompson.
“We’re looking at what’s happening in Super League and what opportunities there may be to bring Luke here as early as possible,” Bulldogs chief executive Andrew Hill told the Herald.
There’s lots of hurdles for us to overcome at this stage and there has been no real progress on that opportunity.”
Thompson’s addition to the squad this year would be a huge boost for Canterbury. The English international is considered one of the best props in the world, winning the Harry Sunderland Trophy as man of the match in Saints’ Super League grand victory over Salford last year.
However, many challenges must be overcome for the shift to happen. The NRL is yet to officially decide how far it will push back the June 30 transfer window, while the Bulldogs must decide if there is enough upside in striking a deal with St Helens at a time when travel and lockdown issues could result in limited game opportunities for the 25-year-old in 2020.
The Bulldogs are hoping Thompson won’t be the only English international to join the squad in the foreseeable future. The club is one of the frontrunners for the signature of disgruntled Raider John Bateman, who is testing his value on the open market.
Canberra are keen to keep Bateman in the nation’s capital but don’t have the salary cap room to provide the payrise he is seeking. Raiders coach Ricky Stuart and his former assistant, Bulldogs counterpart Dean Pay, have a strong relationship that may help the transfer to Belmore become a reality.
The Bulldogs have also been linked with Andrew McCullough, the long-time Brisbane hooker who has just joined Newcastle. However, Hill said: “I’m happy to go on record to say that we have had no discussion about Andrew joining the Bulldogs, with all due respect to him.”
There have also been suggestions that Josh Reynolds could be returning to Canterbury, but the former NSW pivot is expected to remain at Wests Tigers
Canterbury signed Thompson on a three-year deal beginning from 2021, but are hopeful he could play some role this year if St Helens are prepared to grant an early release. The Super League is yet to confirm a restart date, although August 1 has been pencilled in as the earliest possible target. That date appears ambitious given a growing number of English Premier League players have tested positive for the coronavirus.
The blue and whites have some room to move in their salary cap and their squad list given only 28 players were named as part of their Project Apollo bubble group. With up to four spots still vacant, the ‘family club’ hopes one of them could be taken up by Thompson.
“We’re looking at what’s happening in Super League and what opportunities there may be to bring Luke here as early as possible,” Bulldogs chief executive Andrew Hill told the Herald.
There’s lots of hurdles for us to overcome at this stage and there has been no real progress on that opportunity.”
Thompson’s addition to the squad this year would be a huge boost for Canterbury. The English international is considered one of the best props in the world, winning the Harry Sunderland Trophy as man of the match in Saints’ Super League grand victory over Salford last year.
However, many challenges must be overcome for the shift to happen. The NRL is yet to officially decide how far it will push back the June 30 transfer window, while the Bulldogs must decide if there is enough upside in striking a deal with St Helens at a time when travel and lockdown issues could result in limited game opportunities for the 25-year-old in 2020.
The Bulldogs are hoping Thompson won’t be the only English international to join the squad in the foreseeable future. The club is one of the frontrunners for the signature of disgruntled Raider John Bateman, who is testing his value on the open market.
Canberra are keen to keep Bateman in the nation’s capital but don’t have the salary cap room to provide the payrise he is seeking. Raiders coach Ricky Stuart and his former assistant, Bulldogs counterpart Dean Pay, have a strong relationship that may help the transfer to Belmore become a reality.
The Bulldogs have also been linked with Andrew McCullough, the long-time Brisbane hooker who has just joined Newcastle. However, Hill said: “I’m happy to go on record to say that we have had no discussion about Andrew joining the Bulldogs, with all due respect to him.”
There have also been suggestions that Josh Reynolds could be returning to Canterbury, but the former NSW pivot is expected to remain at Wests Tigers
