Originally Posted by STIDDY
Not hitting the heights of James Graham is a harsh marking criteria mate in fairness to Luke.
If he came back to Saints I’m sure it would be on an agreement that suits both parties, not that it’s just a case of us paying more. I’m not sure the same could be said for Wire and Wigan given the money they’re talking of throwing about. It would be brilliant if Saints did sign him just for how much it would annoy wire and Pie fans.
He has the potential to be one of the worlds best and was heading there already when he left. If he hasn't improved or not hitting those same.heights is no indication he cant/won't and I think Saints generally bring the best put of players.
I'd love him back
NEVER WRITE OFF THE SAINTS
Insta @christianjamescreative
I had no issue with him leaving to test himself. The issue I had was that he joined a crap club with no real chance of achieving anything. I’d 100% take him back, having prop pairs of Walmsley/Lees and Paasi/Thompson would be devastating.
Saints as a business can’t afford to offer him stupid money though, regardless of him only counting for £50k on the cap. If Wigan or Wire are happy throwing ridiculous money at an injury prone player who hasn’t shown anything since he left Saints then they are welcome to.
Forwards win games. The backs decide by how much.
I agree. I'd argue it would be our best pack of forwards since 2006 with Anderson, Cayless, Graham and Fa'asavalu. If he's available and wants to come and we can afford him then it is a no brainer. Give him a full pre season to sort himself out and then let him go.
Perhaps we could sign Thompson on a deal of, say, £60k a year and then have one of our sponsors deliver a few hundred thousand extra in a brown envelope. A logistics company such as Kinaxia might be a suitable agent.
If the club can afford to then I think it's an absolute no brainer to bring him back.
The only possible negative is that he's done physically and never recovers anything like his previous form. I think it's far more likely than not that he puts his issue in Aus behind him than not if he does come back if he passes the medical checks.
What we do know for certain is that he fits in with the culture of our club, is at an age where most in his position are in their prime, takes up less cap space, doesn't take a quota spot, is capable of world class performances, can do big minutes and won't be getting homesick.
It may be taken out of our hands; Hunt has supposedly told Dragons he’s played his last game for them and wants out after Origin, Bulldogs are desperate to land Hunt but don’t have the cap space. Could easily see Gould trying to offload Thompson to make room for Hunt, so may come down to who has the cap space now.
Every club in the NRL will be desperate to land Hunt. I think he's likely to join one of the top clubs. He's not going to leave one basket case club with shady characters for another basket case club with shady characters.
Undoubtedly, but apparently it’s between Bulldogs, Titans and Dolphins, and it equally comes to who has the cap space now.
I'd have him back, but only at the right price, because he's fallen away so much since he left (more due to the injuries I'm sure, but that surely has to be a factor in whatever contract he gets offered/accepts from whichever club(s))
I ate a tuna sandwich on my first day!
What club is going to take Thompson right now given he may not play another game this year ?
I can think of 12 in Super League already.
Warrington, now McGuire has gone and how much they like to throw big money at big names - who then fail to deliver.
yes!
Thompson is set to make his NRL comeback this Sunday. He's in the Bulldog's team list and due to feature off the interchange.
Could be a big few weeks for him in terms of his next contract. There's only four rounds left.
*Not to be confused with Mike Stephenson, MBE
Huge four games. What is your take on it? Is it going to get NRL offers? Is he just playing for how much? Or do you think there's a chance his NRL career is on the line here and a return to Super League is imminent?
Fox reporting interest from Tigers. If he can prove he is over his injury I think there will be interest. Quality always finds a home.https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl...021b6d17c95a04
Great news for him. I really hope he gets a good run.
Luke returns
Not a great day for Luke Thompson, Bulldogs pummelled by Newcastle.
From the highlights 1st two try’s he missed tackles, and in total the most in the game 8 by any player.
Will fit right in at the Tigers then.
Bulldogs fans not happy either…… quote from Kennels forum
If
I was on 800ks/year
Been out of the action for the majority of the contract
Have to play last few games in the NRL
Already have a deal signed up for the future back in my home country
Why the •••• would I put in an effort? I am already out of the NRL and I don't have to prove anyone anything in the remaining games so i would just save my body from anymore potential injuries.
Hmmm
I wonder which Super League club has signed him then ?
Wire obviously, on £3m per year made up of Amazon vouchers paid to his family.
Lol.
Seriously though would Warrington keep such good news from the hungry Wolves fans starved of success ?
Maybe they want to spin it as a Burgess signing…..
Warrington surely don’t need more props unless they’re tearing peoples contracts up again? Vaughan, Harrison, Bullock, Philbin, Kasiano, Dudson and Crowther (assuming he’s staying) all senior props is way too many and must mean their cap is so unbalanced. Throw in a few kids like Green (I think?) and them supposedly starting to understand the need for youth development, and I think they’d be crazy to be in for Thompson.
Wigan have ruled themselves out and with Dupree are in a pretty similar position props wise, with Cooper, Havard, Dupree, Byrne, Hill and Nsemba (and probably others). So I think that leaves ourselves and Leeds as the only possible locations, if indeed he is returning to the UK, which we all know he doesn’t want to do. For whatever it’s worth, the Kennel posters I speak to are convinced it’s Saints.
Whatever his next destination, he has hurt his value with his performance today, it was really poor. On the one hand Bulldogs hung him out to dry with only 30 minutes in a reserve game under his belt, but really he should have done a lot better. Whomever he does sign for have a hell of a rebuilding job with him, because he’s a shadow of his former self.
Form is temporary, class is permanent.
Once a Saint …. He would soon be trampling over the opposition if he came home.
Saints should take him back if opportunity arises.
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