LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
Canterbury Bulldogs director of football Phil Gould has dismissed rumors suggesting that Leo Thompson will be out for a significant portion of the 2026 NRL season.
On Wednesday morning, speculation circulated among Bulldogs fans that Thompson was injured and might miss the first few months of the upcoming season.
However, Gould took to X (formerly Twitter) to address the situation, stating that people often receive "horrible mail" and quickly condemned the rumor.
Gould frequently utilizes his social media to shed light on the Bulldogs' operations, but this particular rumor about Thompson surprised many, as it was not reported by other sources and was primarily shared within the fan community.
Thompson is expected to play a vital role for the Bulldogs during the 2026 season, having transferred from the Newcastle Knights.
A strong forward who faced challenges with consistency in the latter part of 2025, Thompson's addition aims to enhance the Bulldogs' lineup, which demonstrated strength last season but occasionally struggled to penetrate against top-tier teams.