Scott Thompson (footballer, born 1983)

{{About|the former Melbourne and Adelaide footballer|the North Melbourne footballer|Scott Thompson (footballer, born 1986)}}

{{Infobox AFL biography

| name = Scott Thompson

| image = Scott Thompson and Assistant Coaches Chat Before the Game (cropped).jpg

| image_size = 200px

| alt =

| caption =

| fullname = Scott Thompson

| nickname = Thommo

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|3|14|df=y}}

| birth_place = Adelaide, South Australia

| death_date =

| death_place =

| originalteam = North Haven (SAAFL)
{{SANFL Por}} (SANFL)

| draftpick = No. 16, 2000 national draft

| debutdate = Round 10, 2001

| debutteam = {{AFL Mel}}

| debutopponent = {{AFL StK}}

| debutstadium = Docklands Stadium

| height = 185 cm

| weight = 86 kg

| position = Midfielder

| statsend = 2017

| repstatsend = 2008

| years1 = 2001–2004

| club1 = {{AFL Mel}}

| games_goals1 = {{0}}39 {{0}}(17)

| years2 = 2005–2017

| club2 = {{AFL Ade}}

| games_goals2 = 269 (145)

| games_goalstotal = 308 (162)

| nationalyears1 = 2008

| nationalteam1 = Australia

| nationalgames_goals1 = 1 (2)

| careerhighlights = *South Australian Football Hall of Fame

2× Malcolm Blight Medal (2011, 2012)
All-Australian (2012)
Phillip Walsh Medal (round 16, 2015)
Harold Ball Memorial Trophy (2001)
Merv Agars Medal (2012)
Adelaide's SANFL Best and Fairest (2017)

}}

Scott Thompson (born 14 March 1983) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Melbourne Football Club and Adelaide Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was drafted by {{AFL Mel}} with pick 16 in the 2000 national draft from {{SANFL Por}} in the SANFL, and was traded to Adelaide after the 2004 season.

AFL career

=Melbourne (2001–2004)=

Thompson debuted with {{AFL Mel}} in round 10, 2001 as an 18-year-old. After winning the club's Best First Year Player award in 2001, subsequent injuries caused him to struggle to break into the side for the next two years.{{cite web|url=http://demonwiki.org/tiki-index.php?page=Scott+Thompson|title=Demonwiki - Scott Thompson|website=Demonwiki.org}} In 2004 he played every game (barring a one-match suspension for striking) before breaking his foot against {{AFL Ess}} in round 13 and missing the remainder of the year.{{cite web|url=http://www.afana.com/netpaper/oct14-78980.html|title=AFANA Footy News|website=AFANA.com}} At the end of the 2004 season, Thompson asked to return to South Australia as his brother was unwell and {{AFL Ade}} was able to complete a trade, exchanging pick 12 in the national draft.{{cite book|title=AFL Record Guide to Season 2005|editor=Lovett, Michael|publisher=AFL Publishing|year=2005|pages=39|isbn=0-9580300-6-5}}

=Adelaide (2005–2017)=

Thompson missed the first game of the 2005 season but played every game from then on for Adelaide, kicking 27 goals for the year. Thompson continued to improve and by 2007 had become arguably one of the elite players in the AFL, averaging almost 25 disposals and 6 marks per game and polling 18 votes in the 2007 Brownlow Medal to finish equal 7th.{{citation needed|date=June 2016}}

Thompson played every game in 2008 and finished third in the Malcolm Blight Medal (Adelaide best and fairest) and for the second year in a row polling the most votes for his club in the Brownlow Medal. Thompson was chosen to play for Australia in the 2008 International Rules Series against Ireland in October 2008 along with teammate Nathan Bock, but was only able to play in the first match due to a leg injury.{{citation needed|date=June 2016}} In the same year, he narrowly avoided a jail term over driving offenses.{{cite news|last=Fewster|first=Sean|date=8 July 2008|title=Suspended jail term for Adelaide Crows midfielder Scott Thompson|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/suspended-jail-term-for-crow/story-e6frea6u-1111116864817|newspaper=The Advertiser}}

After being among Adelaide's best players in a poor 2010 season, Thompson was runner-up to Richard Douglas in the Malcolm Blight Medal for Adelaide's best and fairest player.{{cite news|last=Rucci|first=Michelangelo|date=4 September 2010|title=Richard Douglas wins Malcolm Blight Medal as Adelaide best and fairest|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/richard-douglas-wins-malcolm-blight-medal-as-adelaide-best-and-fairest/story-e6frf3e3-1225924402450#.UO7mGG84t6I|newspaper=The Advertiser}} He went one better the next year, winning the award in a landslide after racking up the second most disposals in the entire competition.{{cite news|last=Rucci|first=Michelangelo|date=10 September 2011|title=Sweet but sour victory for Scott|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/sweet-but-sour-victory-for-scott/story-e6frecoc-1226133517874|newspaper=The Advertiser}}{{cite web|url=http://www.afc.com.au/player-profile/Scott-Thompson|title=Scott Thompson - AFC.com.au|website=AFC.com.au|publisher=Adelaide Football Club}} His season included a 51 disposal game in round 22 against {{AFL GC}}: the second highest amount of disposals in a match by an VFL/AFL player since the recording of statistics, falling two short of Greg Williams' 53 disposals in 1989.{{cite news|last=Hamilton|first=Andrew|date=21 August 2011|title=Adelaide Crows midfielder Scott Thompson racks up 51 disposals as Suns go down|url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/afl/follow-gold-coast-suns-and-adelaide-crows-afl-clash-live/story-fn6z3p5k-1226118608248|newspaper=Sunday Mail (QLD)}} Thompson continued to dominate the following season, winning his second consecutive Malcolm Blight Medal and being named in the All-Australian team.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/adelaide-midfielder-scott-thompson-caps-sensational-season-winning-crows-best-and-fairest/story-e6frf3e3-1226489530655|title=Adelaide midfielder Scott Thompson caps sensational season, winning Crows best and fairest|date=5 October 2012|website=Foxsports.com.au|publisher=Fox Sports}} He also finished equal fourth in the Brownlow Medal.

Thompson continued to be an integral part of the Crows' midfield in 2013 and 2014, ranking near the top at the club for disposals (1st and 3rd), clearances (1st and 2nd) and tackles (1st and 3rd). He played his 250th AFL match against {{AFL GWS}} in round 5, 2014. In round 20 he was forced out of the side due to injury after having played 99 consecutive games for the club. Thompson missed the opening two rounds in 2015, but rebounded to remain one of Adelaide's best midfielders, averaging 26.7 disposals and finishing seventh in Adelaide's club champion award. He also won the Phillip Walsh Medal in Adelaide's defeat of {{AFL PA}} in round 16, two weeks after the death of Adelaide coach Phil Walsh.{{cite news|last=Homfray|first=Reece|date=19 July 2015|title=Terrific Scott Thompson 'honoured' by Phillip Walsh Medal win in Showdown 39|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/teams/adelaide/terrific-scott-thompson-honoured-by-phillip-walsh-medal-win-in-showdown-39/news-story/3928357de817123c0d8d436deaedc6f3|newspaper=The Advertiser}}

Thompson played 22 matches in 2016, including 300th AFL match in July 2016, in an Adelaide victory over {{AFL Col}}.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/collingwood-let-down-scott-thompson-by-not-paying-tribute-to-his-300th-game-says-kane-cornes/news-story/a6a8b3b0938d46de534ca9b53779b840|title=Collingwood let down Scott Thompson by not paying tribute to his 300th game says Kane Cornes|last1=Laughton|first1=Max|date=21 July 2016|website=FoxSports.com.au|publisher=Fox Sports|access-date=27 March 2017}} He continued to perform consistently, averaging 24 disposals per game and leading the club in clearances and centre clearances. He signed a new one-year contract at the end of the season, with the understanding that his role would include some coaching responsibilities as well as playing.{{cite news|last=Rucci|first=Michelangelo|date=6 October 2016|title=Veteran Crows midfielder Scott Thompson starts his coaching apprenticeship in swansong AFL season at Adelaide|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/teams/adelaide/veteran-crows-midfielder-scott-thompson-starts-his-coaching-apprenticeship-in-swansong-afl-season-at-adelaide/news-story/65d1b4f0b6a70f4529c9d62b7f9abb91|newspaper=The Advertiser}}

Coach Don Pyke flagged the possibility of a new role for Thompson across half-back during the 2017 season.{{cite news|last=Fjeldstad|first=Jesper|date=21 December 2016|title=Adelaide Crows veteran Scott Thompson looks to relish new role across half back|url=http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/sport/afl/teams/adelaide/adelaide-crows-veteran-scott-thompson-looks-to-relish-new-role-across-half-back/news-story/050260df9f6d4c8a5844ea9e73cc5990|newspaper=The Advertiser}} Thompson was not selected in the senior side until Round 16 against the {{AFL WB}}, and he was only able to get 10 possessions for the match.{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-07-07/crows-evolution-creates-powerful-finishers|title=Big finish another step in Crow 'evolution'|last=Gaskin|first=Lee|website=AFL.com.au|publisher=Australian Football League|date=7 July 2017|access-date=5 September 2017}} He announced his retirement from AFL a few weeks later, planning to play out the rest of the season in Adelaide's SANFL side.{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/adelaide-veteran-scott-thompson-announces-his-retirement-at-the-end-of-the-season/news-story/67d4688c190fcfcd3e01640610d0b055|title=Adelaide veteran Scott Thompson announces his retirement at the end of the season|last=Harrington|first=Anna|date=25 July 2017|access-date=17 October 2017|website=foxsports.com.au|publisher=Fox Sports}} At the end of the season he won Adelaide's State League Club Champion as the best player in Adelaide's reserves team. He won it by a single vote over Tom Doedee.{{cite web|url=https://www.afc.com.au/news/2017-10-06/thompsons-final-salute|title=Thompson's final salute|last=Phillips|first=Max|date=6 October 2017|access-date=17 October 2017|website=AFC.com.au|publisher=Bigpond}}

Coaching career

In November 2017, Thompson was announced as a development coach for the Port Adelaide Football Club.{{Cite web|title=Scott Thompson returns to Port as development coach|url=https://www.portadelaidefc.com.au/news/296558/scott-thompson-returns-to-port-as-development-coach|access-date=2021-03-06|website=www.portadelaidefc.com.au|date=16 November 2017 }} He held this role until April 2020.{{Cite web|date=2020-04-28|title=Former Crow On What's Next After Losing His Job At Port Adelaide|url=https://www.fiveaa.com.au/sport/former-crow-on-whats-next-after-losing-his-job-at-port-adelaide/|access-date=2021-03-06|website=FiveAA|language=en-US}} As of 2022, Thompson is coaching the Unley Mercedes Jets in Division 2 of the Adelaide Footy League.{{Cite web|date=2021-08-31|title=Crows great revealed as new coach|url=https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/subscribe/news/1/?sourceCode=AAWEB_WRE170_a_GGL&dest=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.adelaidenow.com.au%2Fmessenger%2Fsport%2Fformer-adelaide-crow-scott-thompson-takes-over-from-adam-jeffries-as-unley-mercedes-jets-coach%2Fnews-story%2Fd419b6fe15b820ad02c4432f44bd9aa0&memtype=anonymous&mode=premium&v21=dynamic-cold-control-noscore&V21spcbehaviour=append/|access-date=2022-05-30|work=AdelaideNow|language=en-US}}

Statistics

:{{cite web|url=http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/S/Scott_Thompson0.html|title=AFL Tables - Scott Thompson statistics|website=AFL Tables}}

| 2001

| style="text-align:center" | {{AFL Mel}}

| 6 || 9 || 2 || 1 || 51 || 27 || 78 || 19 || 8 || 0.2 || 0.1 || 5.7 || 3.0 || 8.7 || 2.1 || 0.9

| 2002

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 6 || 5 || 2 || 1 || 33 || 16 || 49 || 15 || 11 || 0.4 || 0.2 || 6.6 || 3.2 || 9.8 || 3.0 || 2.2

| 2003

| style="text-align:center" | {{AFL Mel}}

| 6 || 13 || 5 || 3 || 82 || 84 || 166 || 34 || 32 || 0.4 || 0.2 || 6.3 || 6.5 || 12.8 || 2.6 || 2.5

| 2004

| {{AFL Mel}}

| 6 || 12 || 8 || 4 || 116 || 72 || 188 || 56 || 46 || 0.7 || 0.3 || 9.7 || 6.0 || 15.7 || 4.7 || 3.8

| 2005