‘Not good news’: Disaster for the Dogs with rep star ruled out for 10 weeks

One of the four Las Vegas teams has suffered a huge blow with a key signing set to miss the first two months of the season.

Martin Gabor
NewsWire
Leo Thompson will miss the next 10 weeks with a calf injury. Bulldogs
Leo Thompson will miss the next 10 weeks with a calf injury. Bulldogs Credit: Supplied

Canterbury’s start to the season has been rocked by confirmation marquee signing Leo Thompson has a grade 3e calf tear that will sideline him for 10 weeks.

Bulldogs general manager of football Phil Gould revealed the news on social media just two days before the blue and whites fly out to Las Vegas where they’ll face the Dragons next week.

Leo Thompson will miss the next 10 weeks with a calf injury. Picture: Bulldogs
Leo Thompson will miss the next 10 weeks with a calf injury. Bulldogs Credit: Supplied

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“Not good news for Leo Thompson,” Gould posted to X.

“MRI reveals Grade 3 calf tear, 10 weeks return to play at this stage. It is what it is, move on. Tough game rugby league.”

The Bulldogs signed Thompson on a four-year deal from the Knights and he loomed as potentially the missing piece of the puzzle as the big-minute enforcer in the front row that they’d been crying out for.

There had been whispers of him battling injuries during the pre-season, with Thompson ruled out of Sunday’s All Stars clash.

Scans confirmed the worst, with the prop forward to miss the first two months of the season that will again force Max King to shoulder most of the workload.

Sam Hughes, Harry Hayes and Josh Curran will pick up some of the slack, while the Bulldogs can’t afford to lose the aggression Sitili Tupouniua provides off the bench.

In more positive news, star five-eighth Matt Burton was cleared of a hamstring injury after he left Saturday’s trial win over Newcastle in the first half.

Burton limped off and had a giant ice pack on his left leg, but scans were negative, which means he’s still a chance of playing in Vegas.

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