Mark Thompson opens up about his 'lowest point' & coming back into the AFL fold - Footy Classified

[@mynameisgeoff2025]

Well done bomber. you've hard go of it. From a West coast supporter who always loved the Geelong team happy to see yoy back on track mate. Life is hard and stressful addiction gets alot of people and anyone who can't be sympathetic probably isn't being truthful to there own struggles. Glad to hear eddies kind comments at the end and not the biggest eddie fan but you've done alot of good in football clearly and in life.

[@lukerobinson87]

Never forget that interview where they asked him what will you do now and he replied "ill probably sell some frozen water" classic

[@Bergwick]

Great to see Bomber back. Can’t believe Barrett has the nerve to sit in front of him after the way he treated Bomber, Hird and Essendon during that time

[@jvckmvson6232]

@markwilson3167sheep

[@VirtualR]

100% mate

[@DrainCleaningAUSTRALIA]

Absolutely love Bomber! Such a huge asset to footy and such a likeable bloke!

[@UpTheCatters]

Yea sells good gear too

[@dpatterson7256]

No one's perfect

[@stevelozevski8151]

​@@UpTheCattershave you tried it?

[@chriscoyne4827]

@@stevelozevski8151 you man have the biggest boring life have you tried rope if not should try it you won't be missed at all 🤦➰

[@metal.head.]

The sincerity from Eddie at the end filled Bombers cup. We should all be more sincere, its great to see!

[@chrisferguson237]

It's great to see Mark Bomber Thompson back. I have so many happy memories of him and the Dons growing up. Its good to see that he has reconciled all of the events of the past ten years and is back in a good place. Cheers Bomber!!!

[@maxconroy3402]

How good. One of the greats. You can see the enormous respect Jimmy and Lloydy have for Bomber, and for good reason.

[@jackmag4056]

Coming from a Carlton man this man is all class , bought a tear to my eye at the end the way he said, thank you I appreciate the nice words

[@SteveggStevegg]

Any footballer anywhere, any age. This is a true Champion and person. Through the ups and the downs and back again. Well done Bomber and Thank you for your commitment.

[@Securityx1]

couldn't agree more

[@Bloodynine606]

He’s 59. They don’t age like that

[@imalwaysright]

Trash Maynard but this guy is the champion of all champions to anyone anywhere 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@zenarcher2250]

Bomber Thompson is a football legend - not just of Essendon FC and Geelong, but of the whole AFL. He was a triple premiership player, dual Crichton Medalist and two time premiership coach. He might not have been quite as good a player as ‘Lethal’ Leigh Matthews, but he wasn’t a thug, he played and coached footy to be played the right way and his legacy lives on despite the best efforts of the AFL, ASADA, WADA and the incestuous football media pundits. The way he was scapegoated over the Essendon supplements saga by know nothings like Caroline Wilson and Damien Barrett was an utter disgrace and so was his club’s failure to stand up to their cheap moralising and media gossiping. Filth. Equally damning was his treatment by Essendon FC after he settled the Bombers’ ship and guided the club to an Elimination Final in 2014. If the club had not removed him in order to restore golden boy, James Hird, Essendon would have quickly been restored to its rightful place as an AFL powerhouse club and a regular finalist for the next decade, like Geelong and Sydney. Instead, the club has consistently recruited AFL mercenaries who don’t understand the game like Bomber does and who don’t give a damn about the team’s long term development and the club’s future. Watch the exhilarating footy played by Bomber’s champion Geelong teams - pure football in destroying Port in the 2007 Grand Final and then, overcoming the heartache of 2008, out-gritting Lyon’s defensive beast St Kilda in 2009. Bomber is the greatest AFL coach since Kevin Sheedy. Unlike Matthews, he didn’t inherit a team chock-full of draft gifts courtesy of the AFL, and he also won minor premierships. Bomber’s greatness is proved by the culture change he instilled at Geelong FC. He succeeded where AFL legends like Malcolm Blight, Gary Ayres and Billy Goggin had failed, in completely turning around the Cats from a club that played attractive footy but was not up to the rigours of premiership football and serial finals losers. Chris Scott owes his premierships to Bomber Thompson. Bomber gave his all to football and it cost him his marriage and his health and many of his friendships. It's going to be wonderful to see the great man returning to the premiership dais and giving the Jock McHale medal to the 2023 premiership coach. Bomber, we love you mate. Passionately and for all time…

[@comealongcomealong4480]

@zenarcher2250 Looking forward to the cheer on GF day.

[@cynthiamckenzie8451]

Barrett and Wilson always want to drag up past events no matter who it might hurt

[@PetraKann]

Why did the Essendon players not write anything on the forms when they were clearly being injected with stuff? Any reason for that?

[@PetraKann]

@@cynthiamckenzie8451 People that ignore the truth of the past are deemed to repeat it my friend. Remember there were 34 fully prosecuted infractions from the one sporting organisation at one time - a world record. The previous record was 6 from a cycling team. What an embarrassment on the global stage for Australian Sport. And still not one apology or admission that anything wrong was done. Still gagging players and officials that were involved.

[@dietofly1]

One of the best interviews I've seen in a long time. Kudos to bomber for being so open and candid.

[@mitchie747]

Such a great coach he was. Great person too. Takes guts to come out and be yourself especially after a rough journey. Get it how you live i say

[@shanephillips7473]

Mark Thompson will always be revered at Geelong. Many of us will never forget his impassioned defence of a then underperforming Brad Ottens to the media. It was visceral. That same Brad Ottens carried us to three (3) premierships and I’ll always argue that he was our finest player in an era that also had Ablett, Bartel, Chapman, Selwood, Johnson, Enright et al. There is a vulnerability and humanity about Bomber that makes him so relatable and well done to the AFL for bringing him back to the stage where he belongs.

[@Securityx1]

love this . im a carlton supporter and love what Bomber brings to footy

[@Walkinshaw11]

Wish he never left Geelong. The foundation he laid was the reason Geelong had the sustain success we had for so many years, even long after he resigned.

[@djnapkin]

Not a Geelong or Essendon fan, but I've always had a lot of respect for Bomber and what he's achieved. If he is talking footy or elite performance, you have to listen, as he absolutely knows what he's on about. You can see it in the teams and players he's coached. Great to see him 'back', and seemingly at peace with things.

[@PetraKann]

He lost that respect. He will need to work very hard to get some of it back

[@stevenbeggs6322]

What a great interview. Bomber has carried a lot of people on his shoulders in footy and deserves the respect of his peers. Bomber, Costa and Cook turned the GFC into a modern day template for AFL success and It was great to hear from him again. We’ll done Ed, Jimmy, Damo and Lloydy.

[@CarterHayes77]

Watch his ankle sore interview. Seems like footy classified watched that and copied haha

[@lukec9402]

We all go up and down. Met bomber at a low point, he was still a great bloke. Just a shattered looking fella. Happy to see him appreciated.

[@99muddy99]

What an appropriate and sincere compliment you paid Bomber, Eddie! Beautifully said, mate.

[@trevorgriffiths8876]

Forever thankful to Bomber for his time at the Cats. He will always hold a special place in the hearts of Geelong supporters for the role he had in transforming the club into a powerhouse. Legend.

[@windyhillbomber]

Damian Barrett sitting in the same space as Bomba remembers the tragic actions of James Hird is the ultimate irony. Maybe had Barrett and Wilson shown more care and less reckless character assassination then maybe Hird’s mental health would not have been so carelessly ruined.

[@paulweston285]

Wilson was just brutal and unrelenting in that period. A horrible woman

[@RexMundi_UTC]

Did they ever apologise?

[@paulweston285]

@@RexMundi_UTC Wilson apologize ? are you kidding

[@Jacko89]

​@@paulweston285Thay thorry Caro

[@paulweston285]

@@Jacko89 🤣

[@Bigdeano75]

Great to see you’re doing well Bomber you legend. Well done mate

[@Sonic_Egg]

this was a really moving interview. full respect to Bomber for evolving such a philosophical perspective on life. He is such an asset to the AFL and to lose him would be an absolute tragedy - so good to see him back and I was impressed to see him front up and hand the medal to Craig Mcrae earlier today

[@mvwmark8955]

Great interview. Always had masses of respect for Bomber. 👍👌

[@morrynq1049]

An absolute legend of the game great to see Bomber stepping back into it

[@aussieintexas61]

glad he perked up when they started asking him footy questions. jimmy broke the ice with his list of coaches he had nurtured.

[@Sbock86]

The contrast between the way he describes Essendon & the way he describes Geelong couldn't be more stark. Shows why Essendon are a basket case.

[@ajcajc5429]

I met Mark a couple of years ago it was nothing to do with football, he took the time to make me feel important, he showed genuine interest and engagement to a know body like me I could have chatted to him for ever

[@aidanthomas2510]

Well done Bomber, that damn supplements saga took a lot of people with it and it's a shame you were one of them. How Dank has never been made to answer for it I will never know. Thank you for all you've done mate, I sincerely hope that you're remembered for that and not the fallout of the saga and what happened after. Crazy to think it's 10 years ago. God bless

[@PetraKann]

So one man, Dank, ran his own drug program at the Club? Is that what you are saying? I suppose you still believe that Zakarakis is velonophobic ? The players didn't write anything down on the regular forms asking them to state any medication or injections they took. Now why would they ALL omit the injections? The entire club took a gamble and short cut and were found out. 34 infractions - the most form any one team in the world. A lost Brownlow, and carnage everywhere.

[@giovanniiannazzo2101]

Great interview!!! Bomber held himself with dignity I am a life long Bombers member & I idolised Bomber Thompson!!! What a Bomber legend!!! ⚫🔴⚫🔴 Evviva Bombers sempreee!!!! ⚫🔴⚫🔴

[@wildmanrevolutionshow]

Great interview! Some quality questions and sincere respect shown

[@ungtown]

So glad to have Bomber back in the game, Ess/Gee legend.

[@loganschmick792]

All the best Mark Thompson you are a champion.

[@SilentHotdog28]

What a champion Bomber is, good to see him back, hope he's doing well and feeling good and healthy.

[@bernierossi8062]

People often ask if you could have anyone you want in the world to dinner, who would it be. I don’t have heroes but I have huge respect for some people and over the years there has been half a dozen people on my list. Mark ‘Bomber’ Thompson has been on that list for 30 years and these days he is the only one still on that list.

[@mattcorcoran7082]

You need a better list

[@bernierossi8062]

@@mattcorcoran7082 don’t need anyone really, just enjoy listening to Bomber

[@gbtrat]

As a Geelong member and fan I'm overjoyed that Bomber Thompson is alright. I was devastated that he left to go to Essendon and I won't lie there was a litte schadenfreude when everything went sideways at Windy Hill. I felt awful that I felt that way when his life spun out of control. Thank God he's come out the other side.

[@roryalgate872]

Bomber your such an amazing person.....and as a Bomber fan I thank you so much for all the memories and the passion you supported the bombers during the AFL and Media witch hunt. And as you said about Hirdy the fact people treated you guys and the Essendon football club so badly is just terrible and I'm so glad you and James are doing ok. Again thank you so much for some of the best memories in my life

[@rod4607]

Thompson speaks sincerely and with flow it would be awesome to see more of him

[@LITTELHEN]

Good on ya bomber, well done sitting there, coming from a port Adelaide supporter but footy supporter first!

[@nathansmith5373]

Welcome back Bomber - the best stories are redemption stories mate!

[@trevorscott3574]

If this interview doesn't warm the hearts of footy fans, well, maybe go watch a movie. So good to see so many positive comments from folks outside of Ess and G/long, such is the impact he had on so many. To Bomber, mate, you have shown in this video why people hold you in such high esteem. Have a great GF day....

[@comealongcomealong4480]

@trevorscott3574 Hawks supporter here. The beautiful theatre of successful teams is that you get to know their leading opponents almost as well as your own players. The Essendon premiership teams of the 80s and the Geelong side under Bomber. It was a privilege to watch their champions make footy history. /Bomber himself was easily identifiable on the field. Prop and watch, nuggety and strong, low centre of gravity - so could turn like a quarter horse, great acceleration with those thighs, loved to win.

[@onztufan828]

Bomber!! What a man!!

[@brianellespilner6314]

Great interview! All the best Bomber! Its just a game at the end of the day,.more to life. From a Power fan.

[@danw3735]

You were all over the footy when I was growing up, your head was in everything lol welcome back Bomber.

[@samrussell8286]

As i geelong supporter i always said bomber isnt the man for us when he fronted up. How wrong i was and still many of my mates remind me. Pretty humble guy after what he has gone through and i will never forget how good the cats were with him at the helm. True champion

[@timmyhexham9603]

Footy is a religion to so many. Forgiving is key to moving forward even in the hardest of times. Well done Mark.

[@SuperAinslee]

Onya Bomber So glad youre back Much repect for a great Footy Icon Footy ...........brings out the best in everybody CHEERS

[@comealongcomealong4480]

@SuperAinslee The unrelenting schedule and responsibilities of being a modern day coach can also bring out the worst. Any pre-existing fractures in a person will often be blown wide open by the pressure. Many of us couldn't carry that weight - season after season.

[@snowy2951]

Great interview ,well done to all

[@Hyfun7]

Welcome home Bomber!

[@mjgerrard7785]

Good to see you back Bomber.

[@williamporter2867]

Welcome back and Good luck Bomber once a Champion always a Champion.

[@rickyrixon]

Without Bomber, who knows where the Cats would be today. Probably, still in their premiership drought. Geelong legend

[@cynthiamckenzie8451]

So glad to see him back talking footy ❤️🖤

[@hummerz]

Good to see ya back bomber

[@Jack-r2v9b]

Best episode of on the couch ever

[@peterstrangar662]

I always liked bomber. As a crows fan, I'd always watch his press conferences, and just an interesting person.

[@adammckenzie8769]

True legend of the game what he did for Geelong will never be forgotten!!!

[@petercannavo2360]

Welll said Ed🙏🏻🙏🏻👏👏

[@Simmo87]

I didn't like him that much tbh but it's really great to see Bomber looking and sounding like he's in a good space. Onya mate, love your attitude.

[@jewdavid5627]

I read the book Bomber, and I liked his honesty. He said Geelong butchered its opportunities in the 2008 Grand Final. And they had many of them.

[@wattiewatson]

Great interview

[@effkay3691]

Some of the best people, most sensitive, generous and intelligent people get caught up in substance abuse. I’ve known people who are not good for themselves but would do anything for their friends. People are complex, it’s never black and white.

[@comealongcomealong4480]

@effkay3691 Thanks mate! Best comment in the thread - and full of truth. /Bomber was a memorable player in such a great era. He should also be extremely proud of the dynasty he started at Geelong.

[@gotimeafl2022]

Loved Bomber at the cats. Great to see he’ll be presenting the medal at gf day.

[@robcolonnello2945]

This is great - one hour interview on Ankle Sore podcast is even better👍

[@FredForbes-ff2qe]

Yes the Ankle Sore podcast did a ripper interview on him

[@JoannaDimop]

Amazing man ❤😊

[@karlsomers4083]

Mark Thompson? Best gear in Port Melb hands down

[@stevelozevski8151]

You tried it bud?

[@karlsomers4083]

@@stevelozevski8151 who hasnt? I heard dan andrews was his best customer

[@stevelozevski8151]

@@karlsomers4083 I heard Andrews prefers coke.

[@Capital.Bomber]

A true champion od Essendon, Geelong but more so of the game of Australian Football. He was treated appallingly by certain officials a while back and its a testament to his positive nature and courage that he can rise, forgive and move on. Welcome back Bomber.

[@but1z]

met this guy at an edfl granny, great bloke

[@danielleeson3100]

Great man

[@Kevin-oh2je]

Yair Bomber, on ya, from a Carlton supporter You did good

[@petermcculloch4933]

Great interview.Shame Barrett was there.

[@robertsbrock]

Nah I'm all for it. It was a great positive reception from representatives from all 4 sides and they did a great job in building him back up qnd giving him his time to shine.

[@matthewmarkiewicz]

Barrett is on of the many reasons that his life is in the state that it currently is.

[@mick9371]

I love redemption stories On ya bomber

[@kalebarancelovic]

Well said by Eddie at the end 👏

[@harveywilliams2787]

Legend, bomber. 💙🖤❤️

[@frankgardiner89]

Great interview, no rubbish!

[@raditz_awakened]

Get him to talk about Collingwood too on VFL's Collingwood Classified.

[@davidcunningham9247]

I think some balance is necessary. We will never know the true story behind the Essendon saga,but the wrong thing was done at the time and players should never have been injected with substances they did not know the content of. I find it amazing that talented footballers who held responsible positions at Essendon could breach the rules of the game and the WADA agreement. I commend Bomber on showing up and hopefully he is Sober and his life is OK. DC

[@TheCaptanplanet]

Bomber just trying to have a light hearted interview and a few laughs to relax into Footy and these bloody numpties are trying their absolute hardest to get a sensationalized headline. Bugger journalism in this country nothing but drama queens.

[@dpatterson7256]

Well done Bomber

[@tinty8499]

Good on ya 'Bomber'!!.

[@daviecrockett2272]

awesome Bomber

[@clintoneddy2860]

I love bomber Thompson, great man , great leader , hard barstard. But honestly no questions on dealing ice??

[@comealongcomealong4480]

@clintoneddy2860 I don't know if Bomber would still have a manager these days. But either way, he would've specified beforehand what subjects were off the table here.

[@dickiesdocos]

Was he dealing ice or consuming it?

[@tonewasley]

Why is Simon Goodwin's name on the list of Bombers's football class of 2000-2010... players that went on to coach?

[@Sbock86]

Part of the coaching team at the Dons while Bomber was there

[@krispy4605]

Get bomber into media, he deserves it.

[@BennosCamaro]

Love to see it

[@Joshuadkirby]

Was that the last final Essendon won?

[@johnsyperth]

bombers a great bloke - he can sell whatever he wants

[@gregbutcher_musicplacecheck12]

Sorry, but he continuously lied on national TV, claiming he had nothing to do with the bombers drug saga, when he was right in the middle of it. Stop putting him on a pedestal, think of all those young bomber players lives that he ruined.

[@GODEES77]

Out of all the people involved or at Essendon at the time I think Bomber was poorly treated (along with the players) not an Essendon supporter, but I did feel sorry for him.

[@Rockstarnic88]

Bomber much love from a tiger

[@CJArnold-hq3ey]

I like him he has done Hard Yards and sees the World as it is and who's he hurt only himself . Get off ya high horses .

[@Ozziemick]

He would’ve made a great successful Essendon coach had he been made to be surrounded by supportive staff. But he was right that Essendon still has a bad culture of sticking with around old faces that is bringing the club down all these years.

[@stephano9758]

Good. Now welcome back the King Carey 👑

[@dilanabey]

Do they confront the drug issues/arrest?

[@harrisoncortes4362]

7:19

[@Crusherbreen]

This bloke is a gun - humble…..black and red deep down

[@jpw5029]

Think this guy got away with murder, high as a kite, dealing, the weapon, dank

[@primategaberocco]

Welcome back Bomber. 🥃

[@Yalbou]

Llyod is wrong. Bomber thompsons last game was in 1996, not 1995.

[@stevelozevski8151]

Everyone allowed to make a mistake bud. It's not the end of the world

[@Yalbou]

@@stevelozevski8151 i didnt make a bid deal out of it. You did

[@natep1186]

Damo asking the hard questions.