Lowdesert Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 9 minutes ago, Hela Wigmen said: All seems to have ended on bad terms with McManus airing dirty laundry and Thompson refusing a wage drop. Unusual. McManus is usually quite reserved and even handed with his comments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris22 Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 To be fair to McManus, he had to explain Thompson's immediate departure. He is a star player and it could not be seen that we simply rolled over and let him go. It's hard to criticise someone for not taking a pay cut. However, a player on a six figure salary who doesn't take a pay cut whilst club shop staff do, is difficult to justify to teammates and club staff and could lead to resentment. Especially the case when he comes from a millionaire family. A shame that this has ended on bad terms, with Thompson seeming to force his way out, but the club must come first. A big chance for Matty Lees to secure a starting spot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barry Badrinath Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 16 minutes ago, Chris22 said: To be fair to McManus, he had to explain Thompson's immediate departure. He is a star player and it could not be seen that we simply rolled over and let him go. It's hard to criticise someone for not taking a pay cut. However, a player on a six figure salary who doesn't take a pay cut whilst club shop staff do, is difficult to justify to teammates and club staff and could lead to resentment. Especially the case when he comes from a millionaire family. A shame that this has ended on bad terms, with Thompson seeming to force his way out, but the club must come first. A big chance for Matty Lees to secure a starting spot. 6 figure salary? you think he got 100k + when he was 22 in 2017? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris22 Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 3 minutes ago, Barry Badrinath said: 6 figure salary? you think he got 100k + when he was 22 in 2017? Yep. We had to pay him big to fend off Warrington interest. Their offer was still far larger than ours but he chose to stay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hela Wigmen Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 20 minutes ago, Chris22 said: To be fair to McManus, he had to explain Thompson's immediate departure. He is a star player and it could not be seen that we simply rolled over and let him go. It's hard to criticise someone for not taking a pay cut. However, a player on a six figure salary who doesn't take a pay cut whilst club shop staff do, is difficult to justify to teammates and club staff and could lead to resentment. Especially the case when he comes from a millionaire family. A shame that this has ended on bad terms, with Thompson seeming to force his way out, but the club must come first. A big chance for Matty Lees to secure a starting spot. I’m not sure he needed to bring in personal circumstances like wages into it. Given we’re no closer to knowing Super League’s return and when it does return we’ll be lucky to get 1-2 months out of Thompson before he was due to leave, for me that and a fee is enough reason to let him go now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moove Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 Disappointed in the club statement, no need for the comments on wages. I can imagine it's difficult when you've already put so much into the club and someone isn't meeting you (or their teammates and club staff) half way, but in that position I think you just have to keep schtum. It won't look great when it's talked about in interviews Thompson does with the Australian media and if he gets homesick in a year and wants to come back there's no way it'll be to Saints now. Disappointed in Thompson too though to be honest. Not so much on leaving early - from a rugby point of view why wouldn't you when we've no idea what the rest of the year looks like for us. We could be another spike away from the season being canned altogether. And similar to when Jammer left I don't think he really owes us anything on the field (although a CC winners medal would have been nice). He's not like an Eastmond who left at the first £ sign after achieving nothing. But morally it's a bit disappointing to see the refusal to support the club through a collective salary reduction. Personally I'd have found it a bit difficult to go back into the club in and around the shop staff, coaches, physios etc knowing they'd all taken reductions or been furloughed while you'd demanded to be kept on your very comfortable salary. Even more so when you know you're getting a huge pay rise in six month's time anyway. That's his prerogative I guess but it does leave a sour taste. Will be difficult to replace, although an opportunity for Matty Lees to step up. It took Thompson coming through before we'd really replaced Jammer so hopefully the club have learned from the (many) recruitment mistakes made from those years in-between. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Kevin Sinfield Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 Looking forward to seeing how Thompson goes in the NRL, he’s fairly small for a prop which will be a challenge for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunbar Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 15 minutes ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said: Looking forward to seeing how Thompson goes in the NRL, he’s fairly small for a prop which will be a challenge for him. I don't see size being a massive problem for him. The NRL has a number of athletic middle forwards who excel and are smaller than Thompson. I can see him playing a role similar to Jai Arrow as the Titans (at 13) who also stepped up to prop at State of Origin level. He will do well I think. "The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby. "If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hela Wigmen Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 20 minutes ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said: Looking forward to seeing how Thompson goes in the NRL, he’s fairly small for a prop which will be a challenge for him. I’m not sure what Thompson you’re thinking of but the 6’1, 100kg+ prop Luke certainly isn’t small. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bedfordshire Bronco Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 21 minutes ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said: Looking forward to seeing how Thompson goes in the NRL, he’s fairly small for a prop which will be a challenge for him. He's mobile..... With the six again rule I think hell thrive better than most Very excited about this Will he fly out soon? Is it possible to do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris22 Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 3 hours ago, Hela Wigmen said: I’m not sure he needed to bring in personal circumstances like wages into it. Given we’re no closer to knowing Super League’s return and when it does return we’ll be lucky to get 1-2 months out of Thompson before he was due to leave, for me that and a fee is enough reason to let him go now. I do agree that perhaps publishing details of a personal pay cut (or not as that case was) may not have been required. Although, if it is the case that he was the only one not to take a pay cut (again, we don't know that), I worry it may have caused unrest in the dressing room. Equally, I do think McManus did need to provide an explanation as to why one of our best players was leaving when he remains under contract and a move was agreed for 2021 only. In the circumstances, I agree that him leaving now is for the best. Hopefully we can put the transfer fee towards a replacement. EDIT: Thompson has now posted his own comment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eddie Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 On 11/06/2020 at 09:59, Tommygilf said: Lots doing the rounds on twitter that Luke Thompson could leave Saints as early as next week to move to the NRL. Seems to be reports originated in Australia over night. Thoughts? I swear this was about Douglas not Thompson yesterday, or have I lost my marbles? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommygilf Posted June 12, 2020 Author Share Posted June 12, 2020 1 minute ago, Eddie said: I swear this was about Douglas not Thompson yesterday, or have I lost my marbles? Aye I corrected it yesterday apologies Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ELBOWSEYE Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 3 hours ago, Sir Kevin Sinfield said: Looking forward to seeing how Thompson goes in the NRL, he’s fairly small for a prop which will be a challenge for him. Do you not think the new six again rule will suit a young mobile explosive prop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidM Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 I’m a big Thompson fan , I think he’ll be up there with the best down there . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meast Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 13 hours ago, Hela Wigmen said: Confirmed now. Shame to see him go this way but we get a fee that we wouldn’t have got and he gets to play in the NRL quicker. Now we must try and find an adequate replacement. An adequate replacement for Luke Thompson? Good luck with that, he's an exceptional player, I love watching him play, so enthusiastic, makes everything look effortless, he has everything you want from a top class sportsman Huddersfield Giants Supporters Association Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Prince Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 On 11/06/2020 at 09:59, Tommygilf said: Lots doing the rounds on twitter that Luke Thompson could leave Saints as early as next week to move to the NRL. Seems to be reports originated in Australia over night. Thoughts? I seem to remember people claiming he was really wanting to "test" himself in NRL and he need not do to it for the money? So push come to shove he was not willing to cut his pay like the rest of his fellow players. A bit of a bad show, I would think saints fans might think... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manfred Mann Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 Luke Thompson’s imminent arrival at the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs— “the family club” as it likes to call itself — is getting plenty of publicity in the NRL internet media. Unfortunately for Canterbury-Bankstown, he will not arrive in time to help his new team avoid being thumped by the rampant Sydney Roosters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hela Wigmen Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 9 hours ago, meast said: An adequate replacement for Luke Thompson? Good luck with that, he's an exceptional player, I love watching him play, so enthusiastic, makes everything look effortless, he has everything you want from a top class sportsman I’ve seen a couple of Saints fans suggest we look at Matty English. I think I’ve only seen him a few times, do you think he could take that step? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M j M Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 Those are pretty sh1tty comments from McManus, not for the first time in the last year. Not the way to send out a very longserving player who owes the club nothing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleD Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 The Dogs need all the help they can get but I hope Thompson gets used to losing most weeks as I can’t see anything but a scrap with Gold Coast for bottom place Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommygilf Posted June 13, 2020 Author Share Posted June 13, 2020 4 minutes ago, DoubleD said: The Dogs need all the help they can get but I hope Thompson gets used to losing most weeks as I can’t see anything but a scrap with Gold Coast for bottom place It is a bit weird in RL that our players going over to the NRL seem to not care where they go, just "in the NRL" is enough. They seem to be like 2nd tier nation players taking what they can get at times. It would be like Sergio Ramos agreeing to go to Brighton "because its in the premier league". I understand that happens for less able players, but ours to the NRL (Hodgson, Burgii and Sutton aside) have gone as top club and national team players. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoubleD Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 13 minutes ago, Tommygilf said: It is a bit weird in RL that our players going over to the NRL seem to not care where they go, just "in the NRL" is enough. They seem to be like 2nd tier nation players taking what they can get at times. It would be like Sergio Ramos agreeing to go to Brighton "because its in the premier league". I understand that happens for less able players, but ours to the NRL (Hodgson, Burgii and Sutton aside) have gone as top club and national team players. It is very odd and I totally agree. The whole ‘dream’ is to play in the NRL but no actual research done beyond that. There’s a huge difference between teams at the top of the NRL and those at the bottom. Perhaps all they go for is the $, the lifestyle and the challenge but you’d think some of them would like to win something as well and play under a top coach and with top players Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tommygilf Posted June 13, 2020 Author Share Posted June 13, 2020 29 minutes ago, DoubleD said: It is very odd and I totally agree. The whole ‘dream’ is to play in the NRL but no actual research done beyond that. There’s a huge difference between teams at the top of the NRL and those at the bottom. Perhaps all they go for is the $, the lifestyle and the challenge but you’d think some of them would like to win something as well and play under a top coach and with top players Exactly. Perhaps its just an aspect of how little we actually know about the NRL when it comes down to it. To take Ryan Hall as an example, you'd think he'd have gone to a club where he would start every week? Although I appreciate given his age his expectations may just be to have 2 years in the sun? Canberra is a good option now, but before last season were they really an enticing option? Its been said before that why Canberra get English lads is because they can get them cheaper than Aussies who don't want to leave Sydney. The "we're in the NRL" is what they initially go for. Even on the reverse, the shock at how good George Williams was on his debut seemed just uneducated. He's played in x number of Grand Finals and tests for England. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dunbar Posted June 13, 2020 Share Posted June 13, 2020 I'm not sure that you can pick which team in the NRL a player must join for success. Look at the Eels as an example... a great start to the year and a lot of people's tip for a finals berth and yet 2018 saw them finish dead last with just six wins (Manly finish second last as well in 2018). The league is so competitive that we can't predict today who will be on top in 2021 never mind 22 and 23. "The history of the world is the history of the triumph of the heartless over the mindless." — Sir Humphrey Appleby. "If someone doesn't value evidence, what evidence are you going to provide to prove that they should value it? If someone doesn't value logic, what logical argument could you provide to show the importance of logic?" — Sam Harris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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