 He grew up playing rugby league and was identified as a junior prospect in the position of fullback which subsequently led to him joining the Penrith Panthers development academy.At 12 years of age, Thomas relocated to Launceston, Tasmania and began playing Australian rules football for the Prospect Hawks and eventually the North Launceston Bombers.He made history in 2016 when he was voted Tasmania's best under-16 and under-18 player at respective national championships in the same year.