tigertitan
21-12-05, 01:52 PM
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Bodene tyro Titan
21Dec05
HE'S big, he's fast and he's shaping as a future Titans second row superstar.
Keebra Park schoolboy Bodene Thompson, who has been signed to the Titans Elite Academy, has been playing league for only a little more than two years.
But in that short time the 17-year-old New Zealander has made many seasoned selectors sit up and take notice.
Thompson knocked back a two-year playing contract with the Wests Tigers to stay on the Coast, finish high school and hopefully go on to crack the top grade with the Titans.
"I don't want to go back to New Zealand or to go to Sydney," said Thompson, who moved to Australia with his mother, father and two brothers in October 2004.
"The Gold Coast is my home.
"It is great being picked up by the Titans but I'm not there yet.
"The first door has just been opened, I still have to get to the end of the corridor."
Standing 186cm and weighing 95kg Thompson is touted as one of the 'new breed' of backrowers a thinking forward who is agile and has the ability to run all day.
Thompson, who grew up playing rugby union, credited his Keebra Park coach Greg Lenton with teaching him everything he knows about the 13-man game.
"He has taught me to open up my mind, that vision comes first before defence," he said. "Don't be dumb and just go in for the big hit, wait to see if he is going to draw and pass.
"Use your brain before you act.
"The game today is not so much about pure toughness any more, you have to have a good mind as well."
Thompson, who works for his uncle's fencing company during the school holidays, is the second member of Keebra Park's Arrive Alive Cup grand final squad to be signed by the Titans. The first was captain Matt Francis.
Titans football manager Scott Sattler said Thompson reminded him of a young version of Penrith Panthers powerhouse backrower Joe Galuvao.
"He is a very big and mobile backrower, which is something that every team has to have these days," said Sattler.
"He has been part of a very good program at Keebra Park and it is important to us that he has been part of a program that has already introduced him to a high level of football through the schoolboy system.
"In that team the most impressive part about him was that he stood up in the biggest games, the most important ones, and showed how much potential he has."
Sattler said Thompson could potentially crack the eventual 30-man first grade squad.
He said it was not unreasonable to think Thompson could make the jump from schoolboy footy to the toughest domestic competition in the world in as little as two years.
"He has got the ability and he has attributes in his game to probably fast track to first grade faster than a lot of other players," said Sattler.
"Who knows whether he is two years away or four years away but he definitely has the ability and the attributes to make an impression."
Thompson has set his sights on playing first grade in the Titans' inaugural year.
"I want to make the Junior Kiwis next year and then my goal is to make the Titans team for 2007."
The Titans Elite Academy is made up of 27 contracted players, between the ages of 16 and 18
Bodene tyro Titan
21Dec05
HE'S big, he's fast and he's shaping as a future Titans second row superstar.
Keebra Park schoolboy Bodene Thompson, who has been signed to the Titans Elite Academy, has been playing league for only a little more than two years.
But in that short time the 17-year-old New Zealander has made many seasoned selectors sit up and take notice.
Thompson knocked back a two-year playing contract with the Wests Tigers to stay on the Coast, finish high school and hopefully go on to crack the top grade with the Titans.
"I don't want to go back to New Zealand or to go to Sydney," said Thompson, who moved to Australia with his mother, father and two brothers in October 2004.
"The Gold Coast is my home.
"It is great being picked up by the Titans but I'm not there yet.
"The first door has just been opened, I still have to get to the end of the corridor."
Standing 186cm and weighing 95kg Thompson is touted as one of the 'new breed' of backrowers a thinking forward who is agile and has the ability to run all day.
Thompson, who grew up playing rugby union, credited his Keebra Park coach Greg Lenton with teaching him everything he knows about the 13-man game.
"He has taught me to open up my mind, that vision comes first before defence," he said. "Don't be dumb and just go in for the big hit, wait to see if he is going to draw and pass.
"Use your brain before you act.
"The game today is not so much about pure toughness any more, you have to have a good mind as well."
Thompson, who works for his uncle's fencing company during the school holidays, is the second member of Keebra Park's Arrive Alive Cup grand final squad to be signed by the Titans. The first was captain Matt Francis.
Titans football manager Scott Sattler said Thompson reminded him of a young version of Penrith Panthers powerhouse backrower Joe Galuvao.
"He is a very big and mobile backrower, which is something that every team has to have these days," said Sattler.
"He has been part of a very good program at Keebra Park and it is important to us that he has been part of a program that has already introduced him to a high level of football through the schoolboy system.
"In that team the most impressive part about him was that he stood up in the biggest games, the most important ones, and showed how much potential he has."
Sattler said Thompson could potentially crack the eventual 30-man first grade squad.
He said it was not unreasonable to think Thompson could make the jump from schoolboy footy to the toughest domestic competition in the world in as little as two years.
"He has got the ability and he has attributes in his game to probably fast track to first grade faster than a lot of other players," said Sattler.
"Who knows whether he is two years away or four years away but he definitely has the ability and the attributes to make an impression."
Thompson has set his sights on playing first grade in the Titans' inaugural year.
"I want to make the Junior Kiwis next year and then my goal is to make the Titans team for 2007."
The Titans Elite Academy is made up of 27 contracted players, between the ages of 16 and 18