Why Leo Thompson snubbed Raiders return to sign with Bulldogs

The Dogs were in the minor premiership race for the bulk of last season, only to tail off and crash out of the finals in straight sets.

Playmaker Lachie Galvin arrived midway through last year and is sure to improve after a full pre-season, but the addition of a genuine enforcer like Thompson will have an even greater impact on the Dogs’ title hopes.

The 25-year-old signed a four-year deal with Canterbury. He loves hard work and hits hard – in fact, it was his raw aggression as a teenage rugby prospect that first put him on the path to the NRL.

Back then, his confrontational approach often caused him to be overlooked for representative sides. Over a few beers with Charlie Gubb in a Wellington nightclub, Thompson asked the former Warriors forward if his playing style meant he’d be better off pursuing league.

Gubb, who had spent a year or two in Canberra, was certain Thompson could make it and reached out to Mulholland, who watched Thompson a few days later represent a New Zealand Maori under-18s rugby side play against Fiji.

Ciraldo told this masthead late last month that Thompson was “one of the missing pieces we’d been searching for”.

“I had always admired from afar the way Leo had started his career, he had a presence, leg speed, and seemed hungry to improve,” Ciraldo said this week.

“He’s brought some size and that presence we’ve probably been looking for the last couple of years. He’s constantly in the coaches offices chasing feedback and improvement.”

Throw in Sitili Tupouniua, who was excellent when not injured last year, and 19-year-old Finau Latu, who is expected to debut in the opening month of the competition, and the Dogs’ pack suddenly has some overdue bite.

Thompson credited former Bulldogs forward Corey Harawira-Naera, a fellow Kiwi, for helping him develop the good habits required to make it in the NRL.

Harawira-Naera retired after suffering a mid-game seizure in 2023, but remained in contact with Thompson.

“I was playing reserve grade with the Raiders, Corey was in and out of first grade, and he had a big influence on my career,” Thompson said.

“We did a lot of extras outside training, we’d go to the gym every day, and he was always big on recovery. I hadn’t played in the NRL yet, but I remember thinking this is what is required to make it in the NRL.”

Bulldogs supremo Phil Gould was the mastermind behind the recruitment of Harawira-Naera and fellow Kiwi James Fisher-Harris to Penrith more than a decade ago. Fisher-Harris’ accent was so thick in those early months that Harawira-Naera used to translate for his young Panthers teammates.

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Canterbury captain Stephen Crichton won three premierships with Fisher-Harris and said he could see many of the same attributes in Thompson.

“Leo has been lucky enough to be in those Kiwis camps and rub shoulders with ‘Fish’, Crichton said. “I’ve played a lot footy with Fish, so I know those two have a lot of similarities.

“Leo will play his best footy with us. He brings a lot of intensity to training. He doesn’t talk a lot, but when he does, what he says is important, and everyone listens.”

Thompson’s twin Tyrone was at the Knights, and has since returned home to play Super Rugby with the Chiefs. The pair used to confuse selectors when trialling for representative rugby teams, with coaches never sure if they had been watching the right brother.

Thompson has settled into Maroubra, with the coastal life reminding him of his childhood on Hawke’s Bay. He knows the Belmore faithful are hard markers.

Thompson wants to win a premiership, and believes he can do so at Canterbury. Even Knights supporters would agree Thompson is now at a club whose roster is better placed to win silverware.

Dogs fans will get their first look at Thompson in Las Vegas, with the middle forward to use the Maori All Stars in Hamilton next Sunday as his first and final tune-up for the season opener.