Duncan Thompson

  • Playing Career

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Full Name
Duncan Fulton Thompson
Nickname(s)
The Downs Fox
Born
Tuesday, 19th February, 1895
Died
Sunday, 18th May, 1980 (Aged 85 years and 88 days)
Place Of Birth
Ipswich, Queensland, Australia

Awards & Accolades

International Hall Of Fame
2005
National Rugby League Hall Of Fame
2005

Known Family Links

Brother
Colin Thompson

Biography

The doyen of Queensland RL in the code's infancy, halfback wizard Duncan Thompson first represented his state in 1915 while playing for Ipswich. In 1916 he played for Norths under the name 'F.Thompson'. His career should have ended when he was shot in the right lung at Dernancourt in France while fighting in the Great War. While he was to carry a bullet fragment inside his body for the rest of his life, he resumed his career and made his Test debut against NZ in 1919. The following year Thompson was the star of Australia's Second Test win against England, which secured the Ashes for the first time on home soil. In 1921 he rejoined Norths and it was no coincidence that this led to premiership success. A masterful team player, he gave great service to Norths' champion backline of Horder, Rule, Peters and Blinkhorn, with the club winning consecutive titles in 1921-22. Thompson toured with the 1921-22 ‘Australasian’ Kangaroos, played in all three Tests and scoring 107pts (3t, 49g) in 26 matches. After captaining Norths to the premiership in 1922, his subsequent departure from the Sydney scene was bitter. Suspended on a kicking charge that he steadfastly denied, he left for Toowoomba without playing in another game in NSW. Thompson captained Queensland to wins over NSW in 1924-25 and played his last Test series against England in 1924. The following year he took Toowoomba to the undisputed championship of Australian rugby league with victories over Ipswich, Brisbane, Sydney premiers Souths, NSW, Victoria, NZ and England! In the ensuing years he was to become the guiding force in Queensland RL, taking Toowoomba to six Bulimba Cup victories during the 1950s. A champion tennis player, Thompson was later a Queensland and Australian Test Selector in the 1950s and ‘60s.
- ALAN WHITICKER

Playing Career Statistics

All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player's career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.

To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.

Competitions

Competition   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Interstate Matches 12 - 21   - 42 4 8 0 33.33% List
NRL 58 12 46   - 128 37 20 1 63.79% List
City Cup 18 1 20   - 43 12 6 0 66.67% List
Tour Matches Ipswich Firsts 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Tour Matches Queensland Firsts 5 4 8   - 28 5 0 0 100.00% List
Tour Matches Australia 32 4 52   - 116 24 8 0 75.00% List
Test Series 9 1 4   - - 5 4 0 55.56% List
The Ashes 7 1 4   - 22 3 4 0 42.86% List
Tour Matches New South Wales Firsts 1 1 -   - 3 1 0 0 100.00% List
Tour Matches Metropolis 1 1 -   - 3 1 0 0 100.00% List
NRL Finals 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
Tour Matches Toowoomba 2 - 5   - 10 2 0 0 100.00% List
Bulimba Cup 4 2 1   - 8 3 0 1 75.00% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1919-22, 1924 11 1 8   - 19 6 5 0 54.55% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
QLD Firsts 1915, 1919, 1924-25 17 4 33   - 78 10 7 0 58.82% List
Ipswich 1919 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Rest of QLD 1919 1 1 -   - 3 1 0 0 100.00% List
NSW Seconds 1921 1 1 -   - 3 0 1 0 0.00% List
NSW Firsts 1921-22 3 2 -   - 6 2 1 0 66.67% List
Metropolis 1922-23 3 2 1   - 8 2 1 0 66.67% List
Kangaroos 1922 1 - 1   - 2 1 0 0 100.00% List
Toowoomba 1924-25 7 2 6   - 18 6 0 1 85.71% List
Overall1915-1925 34 12 41   0 118 22 11 1 64.71% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
North Sydney NSWRFL 1916 13 1 -   - 3 4 9 0 30.77% List
North Sydney NSWRFL 1920 8 2 11   - 28 5 3 0 62.50% List
North Sydney NSWRFL 1921 8 5 22   - 59 7 0 1 87.50% List
North Sydney NSWRFL 1922 17 3 10   - 29 13 4 0 76.47% List
North Sydney NSWRFL 1923 12 1 3   - 9 8 4 0 66.67% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
North Sydney 1916, 1920-23 58 12 46   - 128 37 20 1 63.79% List

Your Say

  • Col the Bear
    05/02/2011

    Duncan Thompson is also a member of the North Sydney Team of the Century (half back).

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Contributions: Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson, Rugby League Tables, Greg Fiveash, Alan Katzmann, Bill Bates