Ian Thomson

Graded by Balmain in 1974 (his father Jim and brother Gary were both former Balmain players) Thomson spent the next two seasons at Queanbeyan. After representing Country Firsts in 1976 he accepted the advice of his uncle, former Test forward Allan Thomson, and signed with Manly. A strapping prop, Thomson's best year was undoubtedly 1978. After playing for NSW he was selected in the first Test against NZ. A member of the Manly team that overcame two replays to win the premiership, he toured with the Kangaroos at the end of the year. Thomson played in two Tests (the deciding Ashes Test against Great Britain and the Second Test against France) as well as in 13 other games. He spent the 1981 season at Balmain, playing lower grade football in an injury-troubled year, but following his return to the Sea Eagles was a reserve in the club's 1982 grand final loss to P’matta. Thomson retired in 1984 after a broken arm and four operations required the insertion of a steel plate but he continued to coach in the Newcastle area. In 2000 he was appointed Chairman of the troubled N’Eagles club, overseeing the demise of the merger between Manly and Norths at the end of 2001 and the reversion of the NRL franchise to the Sea Eagles. Thompson resigned the position at the end of the financially embattled 2003 season when Manly sold a majority share in its football club.