Manoa Thompson

Last updated

Manoa Thompson
Personal information
Born (1968-06-11) 11 June 1968 (age 55)
Suva, Fiji
Playing information
Height188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight95 kg (14 st 13 lb)
Position Centre, Fullback, Wing
Club
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
1989–93 South Sydney 612902118
1994 Western Suburbs 70000
1995 Auckland Warriors 70000
1995–96 Warrington Wolves 92008
1998 AS Saint Estève
2000 AS Carcassonne
Total843102126
Representative
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
1996 Fiji 10000
Source: [1] [2]

Manoa Thompson (born 11 June 1968) is a Fijian former professional rugby league footballer. Primarily playing as a centre, he played his first grade career with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Western Suburbs Magpies, and the Auckland Warriors in the NSWRL / ARL competition, as well as playing in the Super League for the Warrington Wolves. He represented the Fijian national team.

Contents

Thompson is the father of former professional NRL, NFL, and rugby sevens player, Jarryd Hayne.

Early years

Thompson was born in Fiji to a Fijian mother, Elenoa Tokalautawa, and an Australian father, and moved to Australia when he was 11. [3] He was adopted by his mother's younger sister, Ana Waqanibaravi Thompson. [4] He played his junior football with the Alexandria Rovers. [5] Thompson also played rugby union and toured Japan with a New South Wales schoolboys side that included Graham Mackay and Scott Gourley.

Playing career

Thompson joined the South Sydney Rabbitohs, where he played in their champion under-21 side before playing in their under-23 side. He made his first grade début for Souths in round 11 of the 1989 season.

Thompson went on to play 61 first grade games for Souths between 1989 and 1993. He spent 1994 with the Western Suburbs Magpies, playing in only seven matches after having knee and ankle surgery during the off season. In 1995 he was part of the inaugural squad for the new Auckland Warriors franchise and played in the centres for the Warriors in their first ever competition game, a 25–22 loss to the Brisbane Broncos in front of 29,220 fans at the Ericsson Stadium in Auckland. However, he again only played in seven matches and was not retained for the 1996 season.

In November 1995 Thompson signed with English club Warrington and played for the club during 1996's inaugural Super League I. [6] He left Warrington in February 1996 after failing to settle in Britain. [7] Thompson represented Fiji in 1996. His only appearance saw a 72–4 loss to Great Britain at the Prince Charles Park in Nadi, the score being the record for the largest test win by the Lions.

After returning from England, Thompson trialed with the Canberra Raiders before signing with the Penrith Panthers. However he spent the season in reserve grade and returned to South Sydney during the off season.

After not securing a contract, Thompson moved to France and played for AS Saint Estève before spending a year in rugby union, playing for RC Narbonne alongside David Knox. [5] Thompson then returned to league, spending a season with AS Carcassonne before retiring. [8]

Later years

In 2007 he was working as a delivery driver. [9] He is still involved in rugby league, sitting on the Australian Fiji rugby league board [10] and helping to coach that organisation's youth sides. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Western Suburbs Magpies</span> Australian rugby league club, based in Sydney, NSW

The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia. The club, as a sole entity, departed the top-flight competition in 1999 after forming a 50–50 joint venture with Balmain Tigers to form the Wests Tigers. The club currently fields sides in the NSW State Cup, Ron Massey Cup (Opens), S.G. Ball Cup and Harold Matthews Cup competitions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt King (rugby league)</span> Australia international rugby league footballer and coach

Matt King is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australian international representative centre or wing, he played in the Super League for English club the Warrington Wolves and in the National Rugby League (NRL) for the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Melbourne Storm. During his time in England he won the 2009 and 2010 Challenge Cups with Warrington Wolves and was also named at centre in the 2010 Super League Dream Team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roy Asotasi</span> NZ & Samoa international rugby league footballer

Roy Asotasi is a former professional rugby league footballer who played as a prop in the 2000s and 2010s. A New Zealand international captain, he also played for Samoa. Asotasi played in the NRL for Australian clubs Canterbury-Bankstown and the South Sydney Rabbitohs from 2007 to 2013. He then played in the Super League for the Warrington Wolves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nigel Vagana</span> Former NZ & Samoa international rugby league footballer

Nigel Faletoese Vagana, also known by the nicknames of "Pablo", and "Chiko", is a former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s, as a wing, centre and five-eighth. A New Zealand and Samoa international representative, he retired as the Kiwis' all-time top try-scorer with 19. Vagana played club football in New Zealand for the Warriors, in England for Warrington, and in Australia for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Vagana represented the New Zealand national team 32 times between 1998 and 2006, including playing in the 2000 World Cup. He is also the cousin of Bradford Bulls prop-forward Joe Vagana, and former Silver Ferns netball player Linda Vagana.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NSW Cup</span> Australian rugby league competition

The NSW Cup, currently known as the Knock-On Effect NSW Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a rugby league competition for clubs in New South Wales. The competition has a history dating back to the NSWRFL's origins in 1908, starting off as a reserve grade competition, and is now the premier open age competition in the state. The New South Wales Cup, along with the Queensland Cup, acts as a feeder competition to the National Rugby League premiership. The competition is the oldest continuous rugby league competition in the Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">S. G. Ball Cup</span> Australian junior rugby competition

The S. G. Ball Cup is a junior rugby league football competition played predominantly in New South Wales, between teams made up of players aged under 19. Teams from Canberra and Melbourne also participate. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in New South Wales teams from Perth and Auckland also participated. The competition is administered by the New South Wales Rugby League. The competition includes both junior representative teams of NRL and NSW Cup clubs that do not field a team in the NRL competition.

Phil Blake is a British-born Australian former rugby league footballer and a professional rugby union coach.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cabramatta Two Blues</span> Australian rugby league club, based in Cabramatta, NSW

Cabramatta Two Blues, colloquially known as Cabra, is an Australian rugby league football club that was originally formed in 1919 and then later completely formed as the Two Blues in 1939. They have always based from the Parramatta Junior Leagues, and their junior teams compete in the Parramatta District Junior Rugby League Association. They currently compete in the Sydney Shield and have previously competed in the Ron Massey Cup however both sides did not field a side for the 2022 season in either competition. They play out of the Cabramatta, New South Wales, Sports Ground Complex which can fit up to 5,000 spectators. The Two Blues have won numerous A-Grade Titles with their last Premiership received in 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bryson Goodwin</span> NZ international rugby league footballer

Bryson Goodwin is a former New Zealand international rugby league footballer who last played as a goal-kicking centre or winger for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the National Rugby League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Williams (rugby league, born 1966)</span> New Zealand rugby league footballer and coach

Jason Paul Williams is a New Zealand former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. A New Zealand international representative winger, he played his club football in Australia for Sydney's Western Suburbs Magpies, Eastern Suburbs Roosters, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and the Penrith Panthers as well as in England for Salford. Williams played 145 games in the Australian competition from 1987–88 and 1991–98, scoring a total of 63 tries and winning the 1995 ARL Premiership with the Canterbury club. Williams played in 12 test matches for New Zealand between 1991 and 1995, scoring one try. He played in one non-test international on the 1993 Kiwis tour against Wales and two World Cup matches.

Jason Death is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. Primarily a hooker, he played for the Canberra Raiders, North Queensland Cowboys, New Zealand Warriors and South Sydney Rabbitohs throughout his 14-season career.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Sandow</span> Australian professional rugby league footballer

Chris Sandow is an Indigenous Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played as a goal-kicking halfback or five-eighth, he could also play as a fullback.

Tyran Carl Smith is a New Zealand former rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jason Clark (rugby league)</span> Australian rugby league footballer

Jason Clark is an Australian former rugby league footballer who last played as a loose forward for the Limoux Grizzlies in the Elite One Championship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kane Evans</span> Fiji international rugby league footballer

Kane Evans is a former Fiji international rugby league footballer who is current a free agent, having last played as a prop for the Hull FC in the Super League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Jennings (rugby league)</span> Tonga international rugby league footballer

George Jennings is a Tonga international rugby league footballer who last played as a winger for the Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League (NRL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taane Milne</span> Fiji international rugby league footballer

Taane Milne is a Fiji international rugby league footballer who plays as a winger for the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the NRL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sitiveni Moceidreke</span> Fiji international rugby league footballer

Sitiveni Moceidreke is a Fiji international rugby league footballer who plays as a centre, fullback, scrum-half and stand-off for the London Broncos in the RFL Championship.

Darren Brown is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Western Suburbs Magpies and the Penrith Panthers. Brown also played for Trafford Borough in England and for the Salford City Reds in the Super League. He spent most of his career as a lock or second rower, but could also play in the backline.

References

  1. ↑ "Statistics at rugbyleagueproject.org". Rugby League Project. 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  2. ↑ Rothmans RL Yearbook 1996 by Raymond Fletcher and David Howes, published by Headline, ISBN 0747277672, page 116
  3. ↑ "Fiji calls Souths star to join side". The Canberra Times. Canberra. 31 July 1992. Retrieved 5 May 2021.
  4. ↑ "Ana Waqanibaravi Thompson's facebook post". 31 December 2017. Retrieved 1 January 2018– via Facebook.
  5. 1 2 Rugby League Week, 10 September 2015, p.45
  6. ↑ "Tongans head for Warrington". The Independent. London. 28 November 1995. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  7. ↑ "WIRE CUT!; Manoa heads back to Fiji". The Mirror. 3 February 1996. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  8. ↑ "RL: Thompson joins Carcassonne". AAP. 28 July 2000. Archived from the original on 16 May 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  9. ↑ "Jarryd steady and ready". News.com.au. 19 May 2007. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
  10. ↑ "ARFL Board Members". afrl.com.au. 31 December 2017. Archived from the original on 6 December 2008. Retrieved 1 January 2018.
  11. ↑ "Australian Fijians win NSWRL U/16's Development Cup". rleague.com. 17 October 2008. Archived from the original on 19 October 2008. Retrieved 1 January 2009.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.