Ex-NRL and Super League ace Corey Thompson has been appointed in a dual-role as the head coach of Burleigh Bears’ BMD Premiership and Harvey Norman under-19s women’s sides ahead of the 2026 campaign.
Thompson, still only 35, hung up his boots at the end of the 2023 campaign: which he spent with Brisbane Tigers in the Queensland Cup.
Primarily featuring as a winger throughout his career, but also slotting in at full-back sporadically, he amassed more than 170 first-grade appearances between the NRL and Super League.
His time in Super League brought a two-year stint with Widnes Vikings between 2016 and 2017, seeing him score 41 tries and nine goals in 57 games across all competitions.
The Queensland native had donned the colours of NRL outfit Canterbury Bulldogs prior, and after leaving Widnes, he went on to represent both Wests Tigers and the Gold Coast Titans at first-grade level Down Under.
After retiring, Thompson took on a role at the Titans in Football Operations and Integration, but he has now landed an opportunity as a head coach.
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Former NRL and Super League star Corey Thompson lands dual coaching role Down Under with Burleigh Bears for 2026
In his dual-role, Thompson will act as the head coach of Burleigh’s women at senior and under-19s level.
The senior side compete in the BMD Premiership, which is the top level of women’s rugby league in Queensland.
2025 saw the Bears end up as beaten Grand Finalists in the competition, losing out 22-6 in the showpiece to Thompson’s former club Brisbane Tigers after finishing third on the ladder in the regular season.
Burleigh’s under-19s women meanwhile compete in the Harvey Norman competition, and last term finished fifth on the ladder.
His appointment for 2026 was announced by the Bears on social media earlier this week.
Posting on Instagram, the club wrote: “Welcome, Coach!
“Corey Thompson has joined the Bears as the head coach for the 2026 BMD Premiership and Harvey Norman U19 Women’s teams.”
