Former AFL player and coach Mark ‘Bomber’ Thompson has promised players the biggest after party in the history of the Frownlow awards night later this year, after being charged with drug possession.
The Frownlow Medal is awarded to the player whose off-field demeanour epitomises the values of the modern-day footballer and draws attention to the status of footballers as role models to young Australians. It covers Australia’s four major football codes; the National Rugby League (NRL), Australian Football League (AFL), the A-League (Football) and Rugby Union’s Super Rugby competition. NRL player Shaun Kenny-Dowall won the inaugural medal in 2015, while fellow NRL player Ben Barba is the most recent recipient.
The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame honours former players and players who received media attention in previous seasons, for similarly scandalous behaviour, and its inductees include Ben Cousins and Julian O’Neill.
Thompson is extremely confident of providing the necessary ingredients for an epic night, after he was charged with offences including trafficking methamphetamine, ecstasy, cocaine and LSD, and of possessing prescription drugs without a prescription in 2018.
Authorities were initially suspicious of the large quantities of drugs in Thompson’s home, but once he explained that they were being set aside for footballers at the Frownlow after party, the charges of trafficking were dropped and he was only punished for the lesser charge of possession.
Thompson won three premierships with Essendon and coached the team in 2014. He also coached Geelong to a premiership.
The AFL star would not divulge the details of his plans for the party, but did reveal that he had invited Frownlow legend Ben Cousins, who is sure to attend, unless he is in prison. Thompson will find out during the grand ceremony if he himself has done enough to be cap off the night with an induction into The Frownlow Medal Hall of Fame.
Image:NuNa
The Frownlow Medal 