Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Jun 19, 2023 4:19 pm  

Stu M wrote:

If indeed you do sign Thompson, I get that it would be a statement of intent and you'd have one over Saints but this is not sour grapes- I really am not bothered if you do sign him

Reading the tweet from NRL physio and the injury he has had plus the complications afterwards means that he's not worth the risk (and money) that it would take to get him.

From a Saints point of view I think we got rid of him at the right time bearing in mind what he's done in the NRL.

Of course he could come back here, never get injured and rediscover his best form

Totally unconvinced about Thompson. I'd rather we steered clear and put the money elsewhere. However it looks increasingly like a done deal so I guess we'll have to hope for the latter scenario. It's happened many times before. Tom Johnstone being a prime example. I would have been concerned had we signed him with his injury record but he's tearing it up for Catalans.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Jun 19, 2023 4:30 pm  

Phuzzy wrote:

Totally unconvinced about Thompson. I'd rather we steered clear and put the money elsewhere. However it looks increasingly like a done deal so I guess we'll have to hope for the latter scenario. It's happened many times before. Tom Johnstone being a prime example. I would have been concerned had we signed him with his injury record but he's tearing it up for Catalans.

All depends on what is agreed too. If they get him for a salary reflective of his injuries and lack of games then it lessens the risk. If its a George Burgess scenario where he is on a fortune then obviously thats very different.

Good example with Johnstone. And to go back to the NRL, you can look at Sironen. He didn't have a great inury record over there for years, comes to us and he is virtually an ever present.

*when he's not banned

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Jun 19, 2023 4:43 pm  

Stu M wrote:

All depends on what is agreed too. If they get him for a salary reflective of his injuries and lack of games then it lessens the risk. If its a George Burgess scenario where he is on a fortune then obviously thats very different.

Good example with Johnstone. And to go back to the NRL, you can look at Sironen. He didn't have a great inury record over there for years, comes to us and he is virtually an ever present.

*when he's not banned

Very true re: Sironen. He's turned out to be a great signing but I'd have had my doubts has we been looking at him prior to coming over here. I guess we have to hope for the same with Thompson but, for some reason I can't really see it. Maybe it's just natural pessimism after the Burgess debacle.

As you say, if he was coming on a low wage I would say it's worth the risk as, at his best, he'd be among the best in the comp. However, I can't see him coming for peanuts so I hope it doesn't impact on our ability to bring in other players too much.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Jun 19, 2023 4:56 pm  

Thompson I would guess would be one of the highest if not the highest paid prop in the league if he came back. Huge risk with injuries but when fit you’ve got one of the best props in the league no doubt, he’s done well in the NRL when he’s played, it’s just getting on the pitch which is the issue.
I think us bidding for Dupree points to Thompson not having signed personally, not sure we would be going for both but you never know.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Jun 19, 2023 5:55 pm  

It’s saying Thompson is on $800,000 and Bulldogs can’t match Wigans offer, $800,000 is James Fisher-Harris, or JWH money, maybe even Taumalolo money. You’d probably get Jesse Bromwich or Josh Papalihi for that money and I’d rather go with them.

He’s currently out injured with no clue about his recovery and return so his value should have dropped through the floor otherwise he’s another George Burgess or David Vaeliki. We shouldn’t be entertaining Thompson until he has recovered.

If Thompson is on $800,000 a year and we have offered more then that’s a million I’d say and for that million Aussie dollars you’d get 2 players, a top prop and a top 2nd rower. For me I’d get Christian Welch and Tariq Sims.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Jun 19, 2023 6:05 pm  

post wrote:

It’s saying Thompson is on $800,000 and Bulldogs can’t match Wigans offer, $800,000 is James Fisher-Harris, or JWH money, maybe even Taumalolo money. You’d probably get Jesse Bromwich or Josh Papalihi for that money and I’d rather go with them.

He’s currently out injured with no clue about his recovery and return so his value should have dropped through the floor otherwise he’s another George Burgess or David Vaeliki. We shouldn’t be entertaining Thompson until he has recovered.

If Thompson is on $800,000 a year and we have offered more then that’s a million I’d say and for that million Aussie dollars you’d get 2 players, a top prop and a top 2nd rower. For me I’d get Christian Welch and Tariq Sims.

People are really misunderstanding this.

He’s on $800k currently but his value has decreased significantly with his injuries etc.

Wigan perhaps offer $500k (£260k) and the dogs only want to pay him $450k

There’s no way Wigan will pay $800k £430k on a prop IMO.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Jun 19, 2023 6:20 pm  

post wrote:

It’s saying Thompson is on $800,000 and Bulldogs can’t match Wigans offer, $800,000 is James Fisher-Harris, or JWH money, maybe even Taumalolo money. You’d probably get Jesse Bromwich or Josh Papalihi for that money and I’d rather go with them.

He’s currently out injured with no clue about his recovery and return so his value should have dropped through the floor otherwise he’s another George Burgess or David Vaeliki. We shouldn’t be entertaining Thompson until he has recovered.

If Thompson is on $800,000 a year and we have offered more then that’s a million I’d say and for that million Aussie dollars you’d get 2 players, a top prop and a top 2nd rower. For me I’d get Christian Welch and Tariq Sims.

I would got Matthew Lodge and Scott Sorensen

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Jun 19, 2023 6:30 pm  

I'd rather part with the £250k ear marked for Dupree, but send it to Leeds for Oledzki. Looks like he's in a rut at the moment, but him, Havard, Ellis and Byrne would be a force to reckon with in a few years.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Jun 19, 2023 6:30 pm  

Sorensen would’ve been a player suited to the club but he’s signed back on with Penrith. I know there was an extremely loose link with Bryce Cartwright earlier in the season and he’d be a player I’d be interested in. He’s a big body and can play. I look at the try’s Sironen gets at Saints and they’re not rocket science but we don’t have a forward capable of getting over the line when we’re attacking down there.

Re: Rumours and signings v9 : Mon Jun 19, 2023 8:56 pm  

Thompson will be a great signing, every player has injury concerns. We need a pack leader which is everything Thompson is. As for saying he might not try because he supported Saints? He is a professional rugby league player who will fully understand the stick he will get if he comes back and doesn't perform. Especially from Saints fans. He is better than Dupree and Oledzki put together. I hope the signing is true and we will revisit it in 12 months