The 21-year-old won the QAFL rising star award last year and was picked by the Bulldogs at number 88 in the draft.
NT Thunder coach Murray Davis says Skinner has a long career ahead of him in the AFL.
"It is great for him to get an opportunity so early on in the season," he said.
"There is certainly improvement left in him and the Western Bulldogs have seen that."
Skinner underlined his enormous AFL potential by posting a runaway win in the 2010 QAFL rising star award.
The mercurial half-forward polled 39 votes to beat Labrador's Todd Grayson on 19 votes.
Winning the award has been a springboard to the AFL big-time for a string of young players.