22 January 2024 , 22:23
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Luke Thompson maintains he’s returned from Australia a better player - and Wigan will reap the rewards as they bid to conquer the world.
The England prop is one of Matt Peet’s big signings for the new season after joining from Canterbury on a four-year deal. Thompson headed Down Under from arch-rivals St Helens in 2020 but struggled at times to make his mark with the NRL club. Canterbury never finished above 12th spot in his stint there and they went through five different head coaches.
Thompson wasn’t helped by his fair share of injury issues, too, and he managed just four games last term. But the fit-again 28 year-old is ready to recapture his best form with Super League champions Wigan who face Penrith in the World Club Challenge next month. He insisted: "I loved it in Australia and I wouldn’t change it.
“Obviously, it was pretty tough at the Bulldogs. We struggled in the seasons I was there which is always hard when you’re not getting results on the weekend. It makes life hard during the week. But aside from that I really enjoyed it. It was a great experience.
"I felt it matured me as a person and as a player. I feel like I've learned a lot and grown as a person and my game has definitely got better for being over there. I’m really enjoying it at Wigan. I’ve been in training since the first week and am raring to go again.”
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Warriors, whose former dual-code England international Joel Tomkins has rejoined the club as scholarship coach, announced today their February 24 DW Stadium showdown with NRL premiers Penrith is a 24,000 sell-out. Thompson, who won two Grand Finals with Saints, said: “It’s great news. They’re the games you want to play in: sold-out crowds.
Wigan Warriors' Luke Thompson at the club's 2024 media day (PIC: WIGAN WARRIORS) (Wigan Warriors)"It’s one thing I’ve missed being overseas - the crowds over here. The noise and the atmosphere, English fans get into it a bit more with the singing. Stadiums like DW with a full crowd, you can’t really beat it. I am really looking forward to that early on in the season.”
And Thompson will be able to give plenty of insight into three-peat NRL champions Penrith having faced them so many times. He said: “They are a team that’s been together a long time. They know how each other play: they are just like a machine and play the same way every week.
“They are a fit group who play the battle of attrition. It’ll make for a good contest as we’re a fit group as well. We trained really well in pre-season. It’s a challenge we’re capable of getting on top of.”
Wigan Warriors' Luke Thompson in the gym (Wigan Warriors)Thompson will fight it out with the likes of fellow England props Tyler Dupree, Ethan Havard and Mike Cooper for a place in Peet's front-row. But the athletic prop is in great shape and his style should suit Wigan perfectly. He said: "Wigan teams are known for working hard, especially in the middle defensively and in attack. I’ve always played high-energy high work-rate so looking forward to fitting into this pack.
"I’ve built some good combinations with the other middles as well. I feel we have a good balance between some more experienced blokes and some younger lads as well. There's plenty of competition for places in the team. It's only going to drive standards."