How Brian McDermott convinced Bodene Thompson to sign for Leeds Rhinos
The New Zealander back-row has made the switch for the remainder of the season, subject to visa clearance this week.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThompson, 32, is the latest player to leave troubled Toronto after they revealed they were unable to complete their fixtures due to coronavirus issues.
McDermott, who won four Grand Finals with Leeds before being sacked in 2018, gave Rhinos a ringing endorsement.
“I’d a number of options but Brian McDermott, my Toronto coach, told me there was only one club I should be joining,” said Thompson.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad“I know quite a few of the lads here already and am looking forward to getting back on the field.
“It’s been a tough year so far with the coronavirus lockdown and then uncertainty over Toronto’s future and I am just pleased to have this season sorted now.
“I could have just sat 2020 out and waited for next season but that is not the sort of character I am. I wanted to get back out on the field as soon as possible and I would like to thank Leeds Rhinos for giving me that opportunity.”
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThompson made his NRL debut in 2009 and made almost 150 first-grade appearances with Gold Coast Titans, Wests Tigers and New Zealand Warriors.
He moved to England with Leigh Centurions in 2018 but soon joined Warrington Wolves playing in the Grand Final that year before joining Toronto.
Rhinos director of rugby Kevin Sinfield said: “We went into this season with our number 20 vacant as we felt we had enough strength in our forward pack, in particular, to get through the early rounds.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad“We lost James Donaldson for six weeks in the first game back and now Alex Mellor will be out for a similar period plus Stevie Ward and Dom Crosby are both sidelined for an indefinite period which changed the situation.
“We spoke with our senior players last week, when the possibility of signing Bodene came about, and they are fully behind the decision.”
Editor’s note: First and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdAlmost certainly you are here because you value the quality and the integrity of the journalism produced by The Yorkshire Post’s journalists - almost all of which live alongside you in Yorkshire, spending the wages they earn with Yorkshire businesses - who last year took this title to the industry watchdog’s Most Trusted Newspaper in Britain accolade.
And that is why I must make an urgent request of you: as advertising revenue declines, your support becomes evermore crucial to the maintenance of the journalistic standards expected of The Yorkshire Post. If you can, safely, please buy a paper or take up a subscription. We want to continue to make you proud of Yorkshire’s National Newspaper but we are going to need your help.
Postal subscription copies can be ordered by calling 0330 4030066 or by emailing [email protected]. Vouchers, to be exchanged at retail sales outlets - our newsagents need you, too - can be subscribed to by contacting subscriptions on 0330 1235950 or by visiting www.localsubsplus.co.uk where you should select The Yorkshire Post from the list of titles available.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdIf you want to help right now, download our tablet app from the App / Play Stores. Every contribution you make helps to provide this county with the best regional journalism in the country.
Sincerely. Thank you. James Mitchinson, Editor
Comment Guidelines
National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.