Corey Thompson

For the American football linebacker, see Corey Thompson (American football).

Corey Thompson (born 15 May 1990) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who plays as a winger and fullback for the Brisbane Tigers in the Queensland Cup.

Corey Thompson

Personal information
Born	(1990-05-15) 15 May 1990 (age 33) Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Playing information
Height	178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	91 kg (14 st 5 lb)
Position	Wing, Fullback
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 2014–15 Canterbury Bulldogs 35 15 0 0 60 2016–17 Widnes Vikings 58 41 9 0 182 2018–20 Wests Tigers 44 19 0 0 76 2020–22 Gold Coast Titans 43 13 0 0 52 Total 180 88 9 0 370 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 2021 Indigenous All Stars 1 0 0 0 0
Source: ^[1]^[2]

He previously played for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Wests Tigers and the Gold Coast Titans in the National Rugby League, and the Widnes Vikings in the Super League.

Background

Thompson was born in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, and is an Indigenous Australian.

He played his junior football for Easts Mount Gravatt, before joining the Souths Logan Magpies.

Playing career

Early career

In 2010 and 2011, Thompson played for the Souths Logan Magpies in the Queensland Cup.^[3][4] In 2012, he joined the Eastern Suburbs Tigers,^[5] giving him the chance to do a pre-season with National Rugby League team Melbourne Storm.^[6] The Storm attempted to sign Thompson but couldn't fit him under their salary cap.^[6] In 2013, he played games for ICONZ Rugby in an Australian Rugby sevens tournament.^[7] In April 2013, while playing for the Eastern Suburbs Tigers, he signed a 2-year contract with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs starting effective immediately.^[8]

2014

In Round 1, Thompson made his NRL debut for Canterbury-Bankstown against the Brisbane Broncos.^[9][10] In September, Thompson re-signed with Canterbury on a 1-year contract. Thompson made a total of 25 appearances for Canterbury in 2014 including the 2014 NRL Grand Final which the club lost 30-6 against South Sydney at ANZ Stadium.^[11][12][13]

2015

On 16 August, Thompson signed a 2-year contract with Super League team Widnes.^[14][15]

2016

In the 2016 season. Corey scored 27 tries for the Vikings, meaning he was the second highest try scorer in the league behind Denny Solomona of the Castleford Tigers. Corey helped his team to a 7th-place finish in Super League.^{[citation needed]}

2018

Thompson returned to the NRL with the Wests Tigers. With Tuimoala Lolohea pencilled in as fullback, Thompson was said to being adding "further depth" to the team.^[16] However, Thompson was named at fullback for the last trial before the season began, with coach Ivan Cleary saying post-match, "I couldn't have asked for more from him really. He was in everything tonight. Corey's been a standout right throughout the pre-season."^[17]

With Lolohea selected at fullback for the round 1, Thompson was chosen on the right wing ahead of regular winger David Nofoaluma. Near the end of the game, he scored a match-winning "freakish try finished with polish" as Wests Tigers defeated the Sydney Roosters 10-8.^[18] After Lolohea suffered a knee injury, Thompson was named at fullback for round 2.^[19] Described as the, "early contender for bargain buy of the season". Thompson signed an upgraded contract for 2019.^[20] He continued to switch between fullback and winger, making 20 straight appearances before a season-ending ankle injury. Despite the premature end, he was the club's leading try-scorer with 9.^[21]

2019

In Round 2 of the 2019 NRL season, Thompson scored 2 tries as Wests defeated the New Zealand Warriors 34-6 at Campbelltown Stadium. In Round 19 against Newcastle, Thompson scored 2 tries as Wests won the match 28-26 at the Newcastle International Sports Centre.^[22][23]

Thompson finished the season making 22 appearances and scoring 9 tries as the club ended the year in 9th spot and missed out on the finals.^[24][25][26]

2020

On 15 June, Thompson signed a three year deal with the Gold Coast Titans after being granted a immediate release from the Wests Tigers. Thompson would go on to play 12 games for the Gold Coast in the 2020 NRL season.^[27]

2021

Thompson played 18 games for the Gold Coast in the 2021 NRL season including the clubs elimination final loss to the Sydney Roosters.^[28]

2022

Thompson made 13 appearances for the Gold Coast in the 2022 NRL season scoring one try. The Gold Coast would finish the season 13th on the table and miss the finals.^[29] On 10 November, Thompson signed a contract to join Queensland Cup side the Brisbane Tigers,^[30] and ultimately played fullback in the Tigers 22-18 victory over Burleigh in the 2023 grand final.^[31]

References

1. . Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 25 November 2017.
2. "Corey Thompson - Career Stats & Summary". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 27 March 2016.
3. "Story". Couriermail.com.au. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
4. "Haynes priming for big performance | Rockhampton Morning Bulletin". Themorningbulletin.com.au. 26 March 2011. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
5. "Walker / Kauffman Big Winners at Tigers Awards". Couriermail.com.au. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
6. "Former Baggage Handler Corey Thompson is Set to Make His NRL Debut". Foxsports.com.au. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
7. Adrian Proszenko. "NRL: Bulldog Corey Thompson desperate to fit into Ben Barba's old jersey". Smh.com.au. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
8. "Tigers Fullback Corey Thompson Has Earned a Two Year Deal with the Bulldogs in the NRL Effective Immediately". Couriermail.com.au. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
9. "NRL 2014 - Round 1". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
10. "NRL Late Mail". Bulldogs. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
11. "South Sydney Rabbitohs win 2014 NRL grand final, defeating Canterbury Bulldogs 30-6". Daily Telegraph.
12. . Zero Tackle. 12 September 2014. Archived from the original on 21 August 2015. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
13. "What a Year for Thompson". Bulldogs. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
14. "Corey Thompson signs for Widnes Vikings from NRL". Widnesvikings.co.uk. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
15. "BBC Sport - Corey Thompson: Widnes Vikings to sign Canterbury Bulldogs back". Bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 17 August 2015.
16. Alicia Newton. "Tigers declare interest in Moylan". nrl.com.
17. Dan Walsh. "Tiger Thompson trumps Lolohea for fullback spot". nrl.com.
18. Nathan Ryan. "Watch: Minimum wage winger Corey Thompson becomes Wests Tigers' hero in Roosters win". Fox Sports.
19. Adrian Proszenko. "Nofoaluma back after injury strikes Wests Tigers' round one hero". The Sydney Morning Herald.
20. "NRL's bargain buy of the year Corey Thompson rewarded with upgraded Wests Tigers contract". news.com.au.
21. Daniel Ramus. "Wests Tigers winger Corey Thompson reportedly out for season with ankle injury". Sporting News.
22. "Tigers pip Knights in 10-try NRL thriller". 7 News.
23. "Wests Tigers punish error-ridden Warriors, secure commanding win in Sydney". TVNZ.
24. "Ruled out, Farah gets last-minute call-up after warm-up injury". NRL.
25. "Robbie Farah's cryptic chat with Paul Gallen ahead of Leichhardt Oval showdown". WWOS.
26. "Cronulla Sharks ruin fairytale for Wests Tigers' Robbie Farah". ESPN.
27. "Titans Tie Up Tiger Thompson". titans.com.au.
28. "'He's taken it hard': Shattered Titans rally around Herbert after blowing win". www.nrl.com. 11 September 2021.
29. "Titans' million-dollar man goes missing as Holbrook rues costly mistake: Brutal Review". www.foxsports.com.au.
30. "Former Widnes Vikings and Super League winger Corey Thompson finds new club". www.totalrl.com.
31. https://www.qrl.com.au/draw/qrl-premiership/2023/grand-final/game-1/

External links

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Corey Thompson.

• Wests Tigers profile
• NRL profile