Duncan Thompson

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.