Born: 1 August, 1988 Test record: 0 Tests Tours: 2014 Four Nations
Well-travelled NRL centre/back-rower Bodene Thompson earned Kiwi status as a non-playing member of New Zealand’s 2014 Four Nations squad.
Born in Tauranga, Thompson cut his teeth with Tauranga City Sharks before moving to Australia with his family and attending famed rugby league nursery Keebra Park High. He signed with Gold Coast Titans and turned out in 14 games for the club’s NYC under-20s team in 2008.
The rangy 20-year-old made his NRL debut for the Titans in 2009 and became a top-grade regular the following season, featuring in the high-flying outfit’s finals campaign.
After 49 NRL appearances for the Titans he was snapped up by Wests Tigers, playing 36 games for the joint venture in 2013-14 ahead of a return home to take up a deal with the Warriors. He was chosen in the Kiwis’ squad in late-2014 but was unable to break into a line-up that went on to win the Four Nations.
Thompson was a back-row mainstay for the Warriors over the next three seasons, playing 58 first-grade games and crossing for 18 tries. He subsequently took his talents to Super League, turning out for Leigh, Warrington, Toronto Wolfpack and Leeds.