Joel Thompson is a retired Australian professional rugby league footballer who played as a second-row forward for St Helens in the Betfred Super League, and for the Canberra Raiders, St George Illawarra Dragons and the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in the National Rugby League (NRL). Thompson has played for the Indigenous All stars and NSW Country Origin side at representative level, and played as a centre in the NRL earlier in his career.

The Indigenous Australian rugby league team is a rugby league football team that represents Aboriginal Australians and Torres Strait Islanders. The team was first formed in 1973 and currently plays in an annual All Stars Match against a National Rugby League NRL All Stars team.