Duncan ThompsonPrint Page

The gates commemorate Duncan Thompson (14 March 1895 – 17 May 1980) for his services in teaching sportsmanship to the youth of Queensland.

Duncan Fulton Thompson was an Australian veteran of both World War One and World War Two, and a rugby league footballer, coach and administrator. He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1960 "for services to the community in the field of Sport."

Thompson would go on to become a banker and skilful rugby league halfback. He commenced his club career in the Queensland town of Ipswich, and first represented for Queensland in 1915.

Thompson moved to Sydney where he played for Norths before enlisting in the First Australian Imperial Force in 1916 during World War One. He served with the 49th Battalion (Queensland) within 13th Brigade of the Australian 4th Division, and saw active service in Belgium and France. In April 1918 during the German spring offensive he was shot through the chest at Dernancourt but survived. He was told he would not play sport again and carried a bullet fragment in his body for the rest of his life. He was discharged after demobilisation in January 1919.

After returning to Australia Thompson joined the Commonwealth Bank and re-commenced his football career. He made the 1919 tour of New Zealand in the first Australian full Test representative side to cross the Tasman.

Thompson won premierships with Norths in 1921 and was selected to go on the 1921–22 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain, playing in all three Tests and twenty-three tour matches, topping 100 points on the overall tour with 49 goals. He also took Norths to victory in the 1922 NSWRFL season's premiership final, captaining the side.

Thompson's departure from Sydney was bitter following a suspension on a kicking charge which he steadfastly denied. Returning to Queensland, he captained the Toowoomba team in 1924 and 1925. This renowned Toowoomba side beat all comers, including Sydney premiers Souths, Brisbane, Ipswich and visiting representative sides, including New South Wales, Victoria, Great Britain and New Zealand. His international representative career closed in 1924 with two Test appearances in the Ashes series against the touring British Lions.

He served in World War Two as an amenities officer at Townsville and in Papua New Guinea. He served as an administrator for the Queensland Rugby League and also coached the Toowoomba Clydesdales to six victories in the Bulimba Cup in the 1950s. He was a state and national selector in the 1950s and 1960s.

A Toowoomba champion tennis player and Queensland state tennis representative, Thompson played in the men's doubles at the 1931 New South Wales Open. He was also an accomplished cricketer, fine golfer and lawn bowler.

In 1929 the Duncan Thompson Stand at the North Sydney Oval was named after him as well as the main grandstand at Clive Berghofer Stadium in Toowoomba. In 2005 he was inducted into the Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame

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