4
Manoa Thompson
🇫🇯
Fullback, Centre, Winger, Debut: 1995-03-10
- Age
188 Ht
95 Wt
4
Manoa Thompson
🇫🇯
Fullback, Centre, Winger, Debut: 1995-03-10
- Age
188 Ht
95 Wt

Player Manoa Thompson

Date of Birth
Jun 11, 1968
Birth Location
Suva, Fiji
Nationality
  1. 🇫🇯 Fiji
Height (cm)
188 cm
Weight (kg)
95 kg
Position/s
  1. Fullback
  2. Centre
  3. Winger
Warrior #
4
Warriors Debut Date
Mar 10, 1995
Warriors Debut Details
March 10 1995, Round 1 vs Brisbane Broncos at Ericsson Stadium, Auckland, NZ
Warriors Years Active
  1. 1995
Rep Honours
  1. Fiji
Wikipedia
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manoa_Thompson
Date of Birth Jun 11, 1968
Birth Location Suva, Fiji
Nationality Fiji
Height (cm) 188
Weight (kg) 95
Position/s FullbackCentreWinger
Warrior # 4
Warriors Debut Date Mar 10, 1995
Warriors Debut Details March 10 1995, Round 1 vs Brisbane Broncos at Ericsson Stadium, Auckland, NZ
Warriors Years Active 1995

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.

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

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

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. 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. Thompson then returned to league, spending a season with AS Carcassonne before retiring.

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


 

NZWarriors.com

Another awesome ball runner with natural abilities. I like that we had him. From Souths was it?
 

The only information I can find on Manoa is archived posts from the last update we did for him back in 2023. All online sources stated he was a delivery driver and a simple message to him confirmed that.

Manoa Thompson 2.webp

The Australia Fiji Rugby League website no longer exists so all links we had to that site are gone. He was last seen coaching the U13 Fiji team in 2018.



In 2024 Fiji Rugby League named a series in his honour.

Silktails Launch Their Inaugural Fiji League Legends Bowl Series​

Posted on March 14, 2024


The Kaiviti Silktails will launch their Inaugral Fiji League Legends Bowl Series this week for their first home game of the year against the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Churchill Park.

The concept – introduced by Silktails Executive Director Stephen Driscoll, will have the Silktails honour past Fijian legends of the respective clubs they will participate against.

The club has confirmed that the first of the Bowl Series will see the Silktails honour Rabbitohs legend Manoa Thompson, with Game 1 of the Bowl to be played this Saturday. The second leg of the Manoa Thompson Bowl will be played at the iconic Redfern Oval on April 20 on Round 7, where the Bowl will be officially presented to the winning team post-match.

For Driscoll, this particular Bowl Match is particularly close to him.

“I was born in Fiji and came to Australia when I was four years old. I grew up playing league in the South Sydney District as a kid and was fortunate enough to be a ball boy for the Jersey Flegg team back in the 80’s and Manoa was a star in that team back then” said Driscoll

“He went on to play first grade for the Club and represent Fiji in the late 80’s and early 90’s and was a real pioneer for Fijians that played at the Rabbitohs. “

Driscoll who was also graded with the Rabbitohs in the 90’s has remained close friends with Thompson, who is the Godfather of his youngest daughter Shawnee.

“Manoa is like a big brother to me and is loved by everyone at the Rabbitohs and has always been a massive Silktails supporter since our clubs inception. During our time in Australia during COVID, we had a Kava Bar on match days at Mascot Oval he made famous called – ‘At the Tanoa with Manoa’.

“The Silktails Board had no hesitation in honouring Manoa for his efforts for the Rabbitohs on the field and for what he has done to support the Silktails off the field.”

The Silktails would also like to acknowledge other former Fijian legends that played for the Rabbitohs that include John Sutton, Lote Tuqiri, Wise Kativerata, Apisai Koroisau and current player Taane Milne.

Silktails Chairman Petero Civoniceva also spoke of Manoa’s lasting impact on rugby league.

“Since Manoa’s time back in the late 80’s and 90’s there have been some all-time greats that have represented that club. Manoa being a local Souths junior definitely paved the way for those Fijians playing in a period when Fijian representation in the NRL was not what it is now. We look forward to getting back ‘At the Tanoa with Manoa’ at Redfern Oval in April” said Civoniceva.

The Silktails take on the famous Red and Green of South Sydney at 12 noon this Saturday, hoping to get their first win of the season.


Latest photo taken midway last year...

Manoa Thompson.webp
 

NZWarriors.com

Similar threads

  • Showcase: Item Showcase: Item
Replies
16
Views
6K
  • Showcase: Item Showcase: Item
Replies
1
Views
2K
run_it_str8_again
Back
Top Bottom