Lance Thompson
Encyclopedia
Lance Thompson is an Australia
n former professional rugby league
footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He played for the St. George Dragons
, the St. George Illawarra Dragons and the Cronulla Sharks
. He primarily played in the second row, though he also played prop forward.
He currently coaches the Cronulla side in the reserve-grade NSW Cup competition.
High School, Thompson was selected to play for the Australian Schoolboys team
in 1994 and 1995. He played his junior football with Hurstville United.
side until a much-publicised falling out with the club occurred in late 2005 and he signed with the Sharks
, the Dragons' traditional rivals.
In 2007 Thompson was selected for the final time for the City side which won the annual City vs. Country match, the NSWRL's precursor to the State of Origin series.
after announcing his retirement from Rugby League
on Wednesday, 16 April. In a press conference, Thompson explained that the reason for this decision was an ongoing knee injury sustained in 2007 and because he was diagnosed with type one diabetes and that he had "one last game left in him". Cronulla Sharks
coach Ricky Stuart
gave Thompson his last game in Round 6 for his "last hurrah". Thompson scored a try early in the match but Cronulla lost the game 20–21 in golden point.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n former professional rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. He played for the St. George Dragons
St. George Dragons
The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,...
, the St. George Illawarra Dragons and the Cronulla Sharks
Cronulla Sharks
The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are Australian professional Rugby league team based in Cronulla, in the Sutherland Shire, Southern Sydney, New South Wales...
. He primarily played in the second row, though he also played prop forward.
He currently coaches the Cronulla side in the reserve-grade NSW Cup competition.
Playing career
While attending KingsgroveKingsgrove, New South Wales
Kingsgrove is a suburb in southern Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Kingsgrove is located 13 kilometres south of the Sydney central business district and lies across the local government areas of the City of Rockdale, the City of Hurstville and the City of Canterbury...
High School, Thompson was selected to play for the Australian Schoolboys team
Australia national schoolboy rugby league team
The Australian Schoolboys rugby league team is the national rugby league football team for secondary school students in Australia.The Australian Schoolboys or Australia Schoolboys represent Australia on a national level at rugby league at youth level...
in 1994 and 1995. He played his junior football with Hurstville United.
1995
Lance Thompson made his first grade debut in Round 13, St George v Cronulla at Toyota Park, 24 June 1995 as a 17 year old.1995-2005
Thompson was a regular in the DragonsSt George Illawarra Dragons
The St George Illawarra Dragons is an Australian professional rugby league football club, representing the St. George and Illawarra regions. They have competed in the National Rugby League since 1999 as a joint venture between Sydney's historic St. George Dragons club and 1982 expansion club, the...
side until a much-publicised falling out with the club occurred in late 2005 and he signed with the Sharks
Cronulla Sharks
The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are Australian professional Rugby league team based in Cronulla, in the Sutherland Shire, Southern Sydney, New South Wales...
, the Dragons' traditional rivals.
2006-2007
During 2006, Thompson's appearances for Cronulla against his former side, St George Illawarra, were highly anticipated. The first of these matches saw Thompson scoring two tries, and the second involved Dragon Dean Young being injured in a Thompson tackle, sidelining Young for most of the 2007 season.In 2007 Thompson was selected for the final time for the City side which won the annual City vs. Country match, the NSWRL's precursor to the State of Origin series.
2008
Thompson played his final NRL game in Round 6 against the Penrith PanthersPenrith Panthers
The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, the top rugby league football competition in Australasia. For the 2012 NRL season they will be coached by Ivan...
after announcing his retirement from Rugby League
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
on Wednesday, 16 April. In a press conference, Thompson explained that the reason for this decision was an ongoing knee injury sustained in 2007 and because he was diagnosed with type one diabetes and that he had "one last game left in him". Cronulla Sharks
Cronulla Sharks
The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are Australian professional Rugby league team based in Cronulla, in the Sutherland Shire, Southern Sydney, New South Wales...
coach Ricky Stuart
Ricky Stuart
Ricky Stuart is an Australian rugby league football coach and former player of the 1980s and 90s. He is currently the head coach of the New South Wales State of Origin team, having replaced Craig Bellamy following a fifth consecutive failure in the 2010 series...
gave Thompson his last game in Round 6 for his "last hurrah". Thompson scored a try early in the match but Cronulla lost the game 20–21 in golden point.