British Bulldog praises club’s patience after extended absence

Canterbury Bulldogs British big man Luke Thompson has spoken about his significant absence from the NRL in 2022, detailing a challenging time he labels ‘the toughest months’ of his life.

Thompson hasn’t been seen on the field since the club’s Round 12 loss to the St George Illawarra Dragons, where he came off the field with a concussion that provided some worryingly-protracted symptoms.

Thompson told the Sydney Morning Herald that symptoms including migraines and blurred vision were so bad at times that he would spend days on end in a darkened room, away from any visual stimulation.

“For the first few weeks it was pretty bad,” he said.

“I didn’t want to go out of the house some days because my head was banging.

“The week after the Dragons game the doctor told me to sit out because I still had symptoms. It was a night game, the lights were on and there was a crowd. I sat there and I couldn’t even watch the game my head was just banging.”

But the concussion issues were just one problem for Thompson, with a family emergency back home requiring the prop’s immediate attention – something the club were happy to accommodate.

“I got a call from my brother back home, he said he didn’t think my mum had long left,” Thompson said.

“She’s not been well for a while, but at the age of 54 I’d never seen (such severe liver failure) coming. She was in denial with what was going on, she was jaundiced and bright yellow.

“My brother couldn’t persuade her to go to the hospital. I stayed with her for four nights and eventually persuaded her. If I hadn’t gone, she might not be here now.

“She’s got a bit better now. I went home to help her get the treatment. I pretty much saved her life. We got her the care she needed so that she’s in the best place, and I could then come home and finish the season.”

Thompson has been named on the extended bench for Canterbury’s upcoming clash with Parramatta Eels and is raring to take the field as he looks to build on his 31 NRL games so far.

“It was a tough start to the year,” he admitted.

“I got a couple of knocks against Melbourne in Round 1, I got one a week later, then I broke my toe and then got that flu, then I got diarrhoea for a week. Then I got my neck crushed and then I got the head-knock against the Tigers. It’s been something every week.”