Mark Thompson Biography

Mark Thompson will present the Jock McHale Medal to the 2023 premiership coach.

"He was a great player and a significant coach, and I'm really pleased that he's going to be presenting the (medal) to the premiership coach," AFL boss Gillon McLachlan said of Thompson.

"I hope it's significant for Mark and I think it's significant for the game."

Less than two months before he returns to court to face drug trafficking charges, former Geelong coach Mark Thompson is a surprise attendee at the 10th-anniversary celebration of the Cats' 2009 AFL premiership.

Thompson made a low-key arrival at GMHBA Stadium on Sunday for the function ahead of the clash between Geelong and West Coast.

But he did not join 10 members of the 2009 flag-winning team in doing a lap of honour before the game.

James Hird says he felt abandoned by the Bombers during its recent turbulent era.

"They weren't (offering any support). The people inside the club at the time were not about supporting emotionally the people who were going through those times," Hird said.

"It was really us — myself, 'Bomber', (former football manager) Danny Corcoran, (club doctor) Bruce Reid and some other staff. We weren't equipped to deal with it.

"Hopefully, we got the players through but 'Bomber' and myself, we didn't get through and I know Danny has had his (tough) times as well."

Former Essendon skipper Mark Thompson, who currently faces drug charges, remains welcome at the club's 1993 premiership reunion next week, but the club has not heard if he will attend the function.

Mark Thompson is alleged to have had a collection of illicit drugs in a locked room at his Port Melbourne home.

Police also say they found handwritten notes about drug transactions referring to "Bomb" and three other people.

Senior Constable Naomi Bourke said quantities of methamphetamine, ecstasy, LSD and MDMA were found in plastic bags during a raid of Thompson's Port Melbourne home by police in January 5.

Some of the drugs were found in a small room protected by a keypad locked entry. Police allege only Thompson had access to that room.

Thompson was arrested and charged after attending a police station, and later released on bail after offering to pay $20,000 surety and reporting to police three times a week.

Mark Thompson denies involvement in criminal activity after becoming embroiled in a drug-trafficking investigation.

Thompson said the man with alleged bikie links had lived at his property "on and off".

"They just moved in, you just can’t get rid of them," he said.

"He just comes in when he wants. He just used to ... do whatever he wanted."

Mark Thompson is embroiled in a drug-trafficking investigation which involved a raid of his apartment in Port Melbourne.

Thompson, 54, was questioned by police after presenting himself at the police station. He was not charged following the interview, pending further inquiries.

Police remain tight-lipped about the investigation.

Mark Thompson has flagged his interest in a return to senior coaching but says he is not gunning for the Brisbane Lions post that Justin Leppitsch is under pressure to hold.

Leppitsch is contracted until the end of 2017, but the Lions' dismal 1-15 record has sparked speculation he could be moved on at the end of the season.

Thompson, 52, has been out of football for the past two years after leaving Essendon, where he was fined $30,000 for his role in the club's drugs scandal.

He said his passion for the game and for coaching had returned but an immediate appointment if the Lions' job became available was not on his radar.

"I would probably ask them more questions than they'd asked me," he told News Corp.

"You'd want to know who you’re working for this time round, because I'm wiser and I know exactly what I want.

"It would be really hard to employ me because I'd ask the questions they might not want to hear."

Essendon great Mark Thompson has launched a scathing attack on his former club, accusing the Bombers of giving up on the AFL season and playing a style of footy that won't win games.

"They're uncompetitive, aren't they? They can't even get in the game. It's not a bad side when you look at it on paper but they can't play," Thompson told Fox Footy.

"I'm more worried about how long it's going to take to get out of this and how they're playing ... they're not playing the game to win the game."

Mark Thompson says he has settled his differences with ex-Essendon coach James Hird, visiting Hird's house to clear the air on the night Hird resigned as Bombers mentor.

The relationship between the pair has been strained since allegations surfaced Thompson sought out the Essendon head coach position during his caretaker year in 2014.

"I said sorry. I think he was really upset. There was other people around and we just talked about the club, the time and some funny memories," Thompson told Fox Footy's AFL 360.

Dual Geelong premiership coach Mark Thompson believes a News Limited article published this week linking the club to controversial sports scientist Stephen Dank was an attempt to tarnish the Cats' 2007 and 2009 flags.

The report claimed the Cats had used Dank's company to purchase a legal supplement, Actovegin, to be used by the players in 2009.

"When it's on the front page of the paper, what percentage of people actually just read that or see that, put it in their brain and say 'Geelong and Dank, premiership, drugs'," Thompson said.

"If Dank's name got bought up for working at Geelong, I didn't know about it."

A fired-up Thompson went on to say he was deeply offended by the report.

"Absolutely, it was the wrong story," he said.

"The story is, that we've done nothing wrong, in fact we've actually shown the way to go forward."

Essendon chairman Paul Little has hit back at former coach Mark Thompson, who blasted the struggling Dons at the weekend.

Thompson said the Bombers were "drowning" as a result of the ongoing supplements saga.

"Mark alleged that some members of the Essendon board were aware of the program of injections being conducted by Stephen Dank," Little wrote in a letter to members.

"Members of the Essendon board can categorically state that the board had no knowledge of the extensive program of injections conducted by Stephen Dank.

"At no stage did anybody involved, including Mark, raise concerns with the board about the program."

Essendon coach James Hird has been left "flabbergasted" by Mark Thompson's claim the Bombers are "drowning" in the wake of the ongoing anti-doping saga surrounding the club.

Thompson told radio station 3AW on Saturday he believed the club was "just treading water, going backwards - it's drowning".

"You look at the playing group, which is the most important, most significant group of people in the brand of Essendon - they're just nowhere, they're lost," Thompson said.

"We've damaged them mentally."

After Essendon's 32-point loss to Greater Western Sydney on Sunday – the club's fourth straight defeat – he was asked if he was disappointed by the continuing negative commentary from people outside the club.

"I think everyone was a bit flabbergasted by that," Hird said in response.

"I think the players were genuinely flabbergasted by those comments."

Pressed further, Hird was asked if he disagreed with Thompson's comments.

"I am not going to get in a slanging match with Mark Thompson," he said.

"Mark has been an Essendon premiership player, a terrific person at Essendon, he has done some good things here but I really don't want to. That's not in anyone's best interests, I don't think."

Mark Thompson says he is not interested in the vacant senior coaching role at Carlton following the sacking of Mick Malthouse.

"For me to do it - and I've experienced something pretty good - it would have to be a pretty special club," he said.

"It's a big challenge and unless they were a really special group of people ... I'm not sure, from the outside, that they've really got their club together at the moment.

"That's the problem I think with some people, is they just walk into clubs because there's an opportunity.

"That has to stop in the future (and) people have to be a bit more selective on who fits with who."

With Mark Thompson no longer involved at an AFL club, Geelong chief executive Brian Cook says the club plans to invite the 2007 and 2009 premiership coach to several functions and match-day events to celebrate his contribution to the club.

"I think he's always had our club at heart," Cook said.

"One thing you've got to do is remember positively and passionately your heroes and he's one of those.

"He's not tied to any club now and I think it would be irresponsible of us if we didn't try to lure Mark back, even in a low-key social atmosphere."

Mark Thompson has revealed that Essendon chairman Paul Little urged him to consider coaching the club full-time if James Hird's contract was terminated.

Thompson, the Bombers' interim coach last year while Hird served a suspension over the Bombers' supplements scandal, said Little made the approach on the night of the club's best and fairest count in October.

Thompson admitted he thought his premiership teammate would be sacked, and later that night made a speech in which he declared he wanted to remain at the club but didn't want to take "a step back".

"Paul said, 'Look, if things work out and James wasn't coaching, would you take on the job?" Thompson said.

"And I never answered. Basically I said, 'When that happens, or if that happens, then come and ask me then'."

Mark Thompson will be heard on the national airwaves in 2015 after signing on as expert commentator with radio station 3AW.

The Fairfax Media-owned station has won a fierce battle for the dual Geelong premiership coach, beating Melbourne-based all-sports station SEN for his services.

It's understood SEN wanted Thompson for Friday night football or its multi-award winning Crunch Time pre-game show, following the departure of Michael Voss who has become an assistant coach at Port Adelaide.

However it's believed 3AW came to the party with a more appealing deal for one of the highest profile-personalities in football.

Former coach Mark Thompson's $30,000 fine for his involvement in Essendon's doping scandal has finally been paid, but the media have suggested that the club footed the bulk of the bill.

The Bombers, however, denied reports in The Age that they had contributed an estimated $25,000 of the total, leaving Thompson to cover the remainder.

"Essendon contributed nothing towards Mark's $30,000 fine," said chairman Paul Little in a statement on the club's website.

Mark Thompson will not be at Essendon in 2014 after talks on a new role for the 2014 coach broke down.

Thompson met with Essendon chairman Paul Little and chief Xavier Campbell on Wednesday morning to discuss his future at the club.

After that meeting, the two-time premiership coach told the Herald Sun his latest stint at the Bombers was over.

"I'm out, I'm done. There's not a job there for me," Thompson said.

"I was happy to work there, but a role could not be agreed upon. In the end, it just didn't work at all."

Mark Thompson could be banned from working in the AFL after he failed to pay a $30,000 fine arising from his role in Essendon's 2012 supplements program.

Thompson's fine was due on Friday but an AFL spokesman confirmed the Bombers' 2014 senior coach had not done so.

James Hird says his relationship with Mark Thompson remains intact and wants the two-time premiership coach to remain at Essendon in 2015.

However, Thompson's future at the club appears no clearer, with the Bombers' two most recent senior coaches yet to talk after returning from their respective holidays.

"We're fine. We've had a very good relationship for a long time and we still have," Hird said.

"I haven't spoken to Bomber about his future.

"I know the club is in discussions with Bomber at the moment so we'll wait and see how those discussions play out.

While James Hird was a notable absentee from Essendon's best and fairest count on Wednesday night, Mark Thompson has used the occasion to all-but state he wants to stay on as senior coach.

"I loved coaching the boys, they were really receptive, we got improvement in wins and losses and it was everything coaching is. It's a good job in some parts and that part is fantastic," Thompson said.

"The thing I'm really struggling with right now is taking a step back. That's where it's all coming from.

"The plan was to leave after this year. I don't really want to because I love this footy club and I love the players and I want them to do really well."

Mark Thompson has confirmed he is likely to remain at Essendon in 2015, although his specific role is yet to be determined.

"It's probably not being assistant coach. I've been there done that and got out of it and I'm not going back," Thompson said on Fox Footy about his potential role in 2015.

"We've got to work it out ... we've started the process. We'll go away and think about it."

Outgoing Essendon coach Mark Thompson says he won't consider offers from rival clubs for senior coaching positions.

James Hird returns to work at Essendon after serving his suspension and says he would like caretaker coach Mark Thompson to remain at the club next year.

"We'd all like 'Bomber' to stay on, particularly, I'd like him to stay on - he is obviously a great coach, he's been terrific for the players this year and for the whole club this year," Hird said.

"It's not just his decision or my decision, it is also the club's decision - but everybody at Essendon would like him to stay."

Essendon caretaker coach Mark Thompson says he wants to remain at Essendon but senses there won't be a role for him at the club in 2015.

"I don't want to just walk out and leave this team either, I am invested," Thompson said on Fox Footy.

"It's just where it all fits. I'm not sure where it all fits.

"The big supertax (soft cap on football department spending) comes in next year and Hirdy's coming back to coach.

"I'm not sure how it would work."

Mark Thompson says a report that he won't pay a $30,000 fine over the club's supplements scandal is wrong.

News Corp papers reported on Saturday that Thompson wrote to AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan outlining his intention to avoid paying the fine, which he said was due later this year.

Thompson was hit with the $30,000 fine in August last year as part of the wide-ranging penalties levied on the club and its key officials.

But after the Bombers' upset win over Port Adelaide, Thompson said the story was incorrect.

"I didn't say that – I don't have to pay the fine until the 31st of October, 2014, that's the invoice date – so I haven't refused to pay," Thompson said.

"(The report's) wrong."

Essendon coach Mark Thompson insists his players aren't facing health risks over the club's 2012 supplements program, despite revelations the AFL was monitoring them over fears of cancer and hormonal problems.

Thompson said the Essendon players had been extensively briefed by club officials regarding the supplements given to them.

"I think it's OK. The players have been communicated to by specialists and the drugs, the supplements that we have given the players, they know that they're not harmful," Thompson told reporters.

"There's no risk. One actually helps in part of the treatment for cancer.

"So we haven't got a problem there at all as far as our communication and our players' awareness of what's healthy and what's not."

Essendon coach Mark Thompson says he fully supports his club's decision to take legal action against ASADA, imploring Bombers supporters to "back the boys" during another difficult period for the club.

Thompson said legal action was a necessary step in putting the players' welfare first, just days after 34 players were issued show-cause notices by ASADA.

"At long last, after all this time, we're supporting the players because everyone's been saying the players have been the number one priority," Thompson said.

"Well now they are and let's try to work for them. You should be reporting that way. If it was your brother or sister or son or daughter, how would you feel?

"Back the boys".

Mark Thompson remains adamant he will be coaching Essendon for just one season and is convinced James Hird will return to the senior role in 2015.

"I wouldn't expect the club to ask and I wouldn't change my answer," Thompson said.

"I'm coaching for the year and that's it. He's coming back. That was the plan. Until it changes, we can't do anything else."

Essendon caretaker coach Mark Thompson has admitted to self-doubt ahead of his return to senior coaching.

"I (am) a little bit nervous, but excited as well," Thompson said.

"You just don't know how you're going to handle it - you know you've done it before.

"But every time it confronts you, you just say 'I wonder if I've still got it?' Then you find out, I suppose."

Mark Thompson says he he has a clear idea of what he wants to achieve during his tenure as head coach of Essendon while James Hird serves his suspension.

"With him missing 12 months, I thought it was important that we had some experience around the club. And I want to basically show that the last three years of my work, even though I haven't performed the things I've wanted to perform, we've done a lot of good things," Thompson said.

"And if we have a good year this year, then maybe some of those things might be exposed and I can just look at the whole thing in its totality and say 'Well, you know, the club's on its way'."

Despite only serving as interim coach in 2014 in James Hird's absence, Mark Thompson says his goals for the team will be high.

"It won't be a gap year," Thompson said.

"(The players) wanted a coach that wasn't going to just sit idle … and (will) give them the best opportunity to be the best that they can be.

"We're a pretty proud group, proud club, and we just want to build again."

Mark Thompson is named as interim coach of Essendon for the 2014 season while James Hird serves his 12-month suspension.

Bombers assistant coach Mark Thompson says he is angry at the charges laid against him by the AFL and that he deserves to be exonerated for 90 per cent of the charges.

"Who knows where it's going to go? Every day is an adventure. I had to go and find and talk to a solicitor, because I pretty much thought I wasn't included, then I was chucked in late," Thompson told Fox Footy's AFL 360.

"I was quite angry ... and I was quite disappointed that it's happened. But I'm very willing to fight and take it anywhere as long as we can go. We just don't want that on our names."

Essendon assistant coach Mark Thompson admits he has been told by the club's legal advisers he could be among those charged should the AFL act over the Bombers' supplement saga.

"I don't want my reputation tarnished by this," Thompson told Fox Footy's AFL360 program on Monday night.

"You can't (resign) ... it's your whole life. It's not just your life. It's your kids, your family, it's going to be remembered forever.

"I don't want it on my tombstone."

Essendon senior assistant coach Mark Thompson denies that the club are "drug cheats".

"I think the club's made mistakes, we'll admit that when the times come. But as far as drug cheating ... we certainly didn't deliberately go out to do any of that that," Thompson said.

"And why would we? Why would I start doing it now? Why would Doc [Bruce] Reid, after 40 years, start cheating now? It's just crap to think that we would be part of that.

"In the end the truth is going to be told about everything that's happened in this saga. The truth is going to come out because this is too big now to go back."

Essendon assistant coach Mark Thompson says he is working in a difficult environment with doping allegations surrounding the club.

"It's been very hard to survive and to live. Everywhere you go you feel embarrassed and you think that people are thinking that you have done these things that everyone has been saying we have been doing but to be honest we just have to sit back and wait," Thompson said.

"We can't defend ourselves because we are not allowed to.

"We understand that we are part of this process and we want to find the truth out. Once the truth comes out then we will deal with the consequences."

Mark Thompson says he left Geelong at the end of 2010 because the players stopped listening to him.

"Macca (former Geelong assistant and now Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney) explained it to me like this - it's almost like your dad giving you a talk when you're 18, like 'You shouldn't do this, you shouldn't do that' and 'Are you listening, son?'," he said.

"'Yeah, yeah, I'm listening Dad', and they go out and do what they want.

"Our game plan had to change and I didn't think I was getting through, so the players needed a change as much as anything."

Gary Ablett talks about his strained relationship with former Geelong coach Mark Thompson to the Herald Sun, revealing that the two did not speak to each other after round 5 of 2010.

"He grabbed me in his office for a chat, but it was more, 'Why haven't you signed for the club?' and I just said, 'To be honest with you, Bomber, I'm not that comfortable discussing it with you. I'm still working through that with the club'," Ablett said.

"I just felt that he's the coach, I'm the player. Contracts shouldn't be his role. But we had a pretty big argument there in his office, he walked out, I walked out, and he hasn't really spoken to me since, to be honest."

Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett has stepped up his attack on new Essendon senior assistant coach Mark Thompson.

"I don't mind people changing, it happens in life, but to break a contract on the basis that 'I'm worn out' and then a few weeks later to sign another contract doesn't have a ring of truthfulness," Kennett said.

Essendon coach James Hird says Mark Thompson has not been disloyal to Geelong in returning to Windy Hill, but he understands why Geelong is aggrieved.

"They've got every right to be disappointed he's left but I don't think they've got the right to feel he hasn't done the right thing by them, because for 11 years he gave his heart and soul to the club and did a great job in winning two premierships for them," Hird said on SEN radio.

Hird also describes the manner in which Thompson decided to join Essendon's coaching ranks as unique.

"We were running a drill, the players were running back and forward and there's Bomber standing in the middle of the oval," Hird said.

"I thought, 'What's going on?', and he said, 'Let's go, let's do it'."

Geelong will investigate the leaking of confidential information that showed former coach Mark Thompson's dealings with Essendon.

"We'll carefully think about if we can find out how it was released. If we can find out how it was released, we will take the necessary action," departing Cats president Frank Costa said.

"That sort of thing hasn't happened before in my time at the club; a confidential email from one board member to another senior member at the club hasn't got out like that."

Former Geelong head coach Mark Thompson returns to Essendon as an assistant coach after quitting as head coach of the Cats.

The issue of Thompson's switch has been a controversial one due to the fact that the Cats hierarchy were assured that he would not be joining newly appointed head coach James Hird at the club where he made his name as a player.

"There has definitely been a lack of transparency. The club has recently become aware of contact between Mark and Essendon people starting in July. We don't know the nature of that contact, but we find it disappointing, no doubt," Geelong chief executive Brian Cook said.

"We wish Mark well. He's been a great contributor. Let's get on with life. It's a new era for Mark and for the club, as well."

Mark Thompson quits as Geelong coach saying the relentless pressure of the job effected his personal life.

"You miss family functions, you miss doing certain things. I'm pretty much over the job - the day-to-day relentlessness of it," Thompson said.

"I've got to get back and look after myself a little bit as well and I'm looking forward to that."

Geelong coach Mark Thompson says he is to decide whether he will serve the final year of his contract.

"If I don't end up coaching at Geelong, and that is not decided, I am going to take a bit of time off and I might have to look at doing something else," he said.

"I need to work, so whether that is in football or I have got a property down half way between Geelong and Torquay that probably needs some work, there are lots of options out there."

Mark Thompson's speech at Geelong's best-and-fairest dinner lead many to believe that he is on the verge of quitting as Cats coach.

'If you have great people working at your club ... then it doesn't really matter who comes and goes in this world because it's just strong. It's just a strong place," Thompson said.

"I've loved working here. I love all the players and all the people we work with."

Gary Ablett insists there's no rift with coach Mark Thompson despite not having informed Thompson of his decision to join the Suns.

"I didn't get the opportunity to speak to Bomber, obviously, with everything that happened yesterday," Ablett said.

"He wasn't there today. I spoke to the club and I'll catch up with him and have a chat about it."

Geelong coach Mark Thompson will address the players at Thursday night's best and fairest and is expected to announce his intentions.

"My understanding, if I may repeat it, is that he'll do one of two things next year. He'll coach Geelong or he'll take up a role in property development," Geelong chief executive Brian Cook said.

Dual premiership coach Mark Thompson tells the Cats will not be joining Essendon, but may not remain at Geelong either due to being exhausted with coaching.

"Mark has indicated that at the end of the season he feels exhausted and wants to reassess his coaching future," Geelong chief executive Brian Cook said.

"He has told me that the issue isn't whether he goes to Essendon or any other club, but rather if he wishes to continue coaching at all.

"The club has advised Mark to speak to his closest associates before he makes any decision on his coaching future at Geelong.

"The club has indicated to Mark that we hope he fulfils his contract, but only if he is fully committed to coaching."

Mark Thompson says it would be a mistake if Geelong lost Brenton Sanderson because it couldn't guarantee him its senior coaching position.

"If we couldn't keep, because we couldn't guarantee him a position, then I think that would be a mistake," Thompson said.

"He's a Geelong person. I think he's done a marvellous job. If he wants to coach senior footy, and I know he does, then he's more than ready to get a job."

Geelong president Frank Costa is hopeful he can convince Mark Thompson to continue coaching beyond his current contract.

"We've still got him so while we've got him we're going to try and hang onto him," Costa said.

"What I can say about Mark Thompson is that he's really enjoying what he's doing at the moment. I'm hoping his enjoyment of coaching the club will extend beyond next year."

Geelong coach Mark Thompson says he will finish his coaching career when his contract runs out at Geelong in 2011.

"I reckon this is my last two years and I'm going to get out and do some other stuff," Thompson said.

"I want to leave the place in good shape and I want to be successful next year."

Geelong assistant Ken Hinkley emerges as one of the favourites to secure the Richmond coaching position.

Geelong coach Mark Thompson says that Hinkley will still see out his job as an assistant at the club through their finals series regardless of the outcome of Richmond's recruitment process.

"From all the rumours and reports, he's down to the last two or three, so if Kenny was lucky enough to get the job, we'd be very happy for him to stay here," Thompson said.

"We'd want him to stay here and finish off what he's done - he's a big part of what we do here, and if he was to leave, it would leave a massive hole and we don't want that, we want our team working as a group for as long as we last."

Geelong coach Mark Thompson nominates Joel Corey as an option for standing Carlton key forward Brendan Fevola in the absence of the injured Matthew Scarlett.

"He is only an option Joel," Thompson said.

"He is a power forward. He is a really good player and Scarlo is not there, so someone else is going to have to play on him."

He has been touted as Nathan Buckley's right-hand man, but Geelong is confident assistant coach Brenton Sanderson will stay.

After re-signing senior coach Mark Thompson for two more years a fortnight ago, the Cats began discussions with their assistant coaches, in particular Sanderson, who has been linked to Buckley through his long-time friendship with the Collingwood champion.

"We have spoken to Sando in a fairly informal way and he is very keen to stay and we are very keen for him to stay," Geelong football operations manager Neil Balme said.

"We will go through the process now and I would be surprised if he were to go somewhere."

Mark Thompson signs a new deal to remain as coach of Geelong for the next two seasons.

"There was never any question of me not being here, so the contract simply formalises the arrangements we have had over the past decade," Thompson said.

"Like everyone associated with the club, I love working here with the staff and players that we have, and I'm looking forward to the rest of the season and the future."

Cameron Mooney is close to being Geelong's most important player, says coach Mark Thompson.

"He understands and is a leader of the forward line," Thompson said.

"He understands exactly what the coaches are trying to implement, and all our set-ups, and he's such a fantastic player.

"He's almost the most important player that we couldn't afford to lose."

Geelong will welcome back captain Tom Harley for Sunday's clash with Port Adelaide at Skilled Stadium.

Harley missed the Cats' last two games against West Coast and Fremantle - both in Perth - but coach Mark Thompson confirmed his captain had recovered with the benefit of the split round.

"He's going to play this week - he's ticked all the boxes," Thompson said.

Geelong coach Mark Thompson has challenged unpredictable spearhead Cameron Mooney to lift his game ahead of the finals.

Thompson said his big forward was experiencing issues with both confidence and his goalkicking technique.

"I don't really know what's going on with Cam's head at all," Thompson said.

"I just spoke to him and just said look, it's probably not right that he misses them.

"But we've got 10 weeks before the finals start and we'd really want to go into a finals series having his routine set and having his confidence levels OK so that he kicks goals he should kick."

Geelong coach Mark Thompson says the Cats would have lost to Fremantle if not for five goals from Shannon Byrnes.

"He kicked five goals and without his contribution we wouldn't have won, let's be honest," Thompson said.

"It's his best game, absolutely, for the club. I've been a big supporter. He missed out on last year's grand final and probably if we had our time again we should have played him.

"He's the ultimate team player and that's the beauty about guys who aren't necessarily in your best 22 or aren't your big profile players. To us he is a really, really important person and I've been backing him all year and will continue to do so."

Geelong coach Mark Thompson had a feeling Essendon speedster Andrew Lovett would have a spectacular season having attempted to secure Lovett in a trade prior to the start of season 2009.

"We were interested in Andrew and he was quite prepared to come," Thompson said.

"The trade was almost done but Essendon pulled out at the last minute. In the end, we lost Prismall for almost nothing and they kept Lovett.

"Now Lovett's paying fantastic footy and Prismall's back in so they're the big winners out of that deal."

The Geelong coach says the absence of forward Cameron Mooney through suspension could have cost his side the game.

"I would have done something really brave if we'd have lost the game. Maybe I should do it anyway, I should really have a go at Cameron Mooney because we did miss him enormously," Thompson said.

"To go out with a silly thing like that, it could have cost the club. Lucky it wasn't a knockout final but if it was, it would be disastrous because he's so important to us."

Geelong coach Mark Thompson says he expects Gary Ablett to return bigger and better from his groin injury.

"This will be a great refresher for Gary Ablett and he'll probably come back bigger and better than ever," Thompson said.

"To have one or two weeks off during the year is not necessarily a bad thing."

Mark Thompson says young forward Tom Hawkins put in his best performance for the club in the Cats big win over the Lions.

Hawkins bagged three goals against Brisbane while tallying nine tackles and 20 disposals including 11 contested.

"I thought it was clearly the best game he's played," Thompson said.

"Although he's kicked more goals and everything else in some games, he was just involved in the game and looked like he was confident in running around and he knew what he was doing and he was having some influence.

"We would love for Hawk to play like that every week because he really looked like a comfortable, accomplished AFL player today."

Geelong coach Mark Thompson has called on umpires to crack down on physical tags put on star midfielder Gary Ablett.

"If people start attacking him then umpires have every right to give free kicks to people who are ball players," Thompson said.

Geelong coach Mark Thompson attributes his team's inconsistent form within games early in 2009 to the nature of early-season football.

"That's just footy at the start of the year and it’s probably the hardest period to play in," he said.

"There's certainly going to be fluctuations in footy. We've still got a lot of footy left. It's only round three."

Geelong CEO Brian Cook says the club expects to re-sign coach Mark Thompson by the end of the season.

For the first time in Mark Thompson's reign, Cats forwards have undergone mandatory goal kicking sessions.

Beaten Grand Final coach Mark Thompson has scoffed at claims the Cats were mentally weaker than the Hawks as suggested by Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett.

"I don't think that's the case here. I don't think our boys are lacking in too much," Thompson said.

"I think we are a pretty strong and a pretty mentally tough sort of group. Sure, they beat us in the Grand Final. So be it. It's one game, it's been done. We can't do anything about it, but gee, I would really like another chance at it."

Geelong coach Mark Thompson says the new rule changes will work to make the game more attractive to watch.

Geelong's best player Gary Ablett is going forward and coach Mark Thompson is not going anywhere.

Ablett is set to become a more prominent player in the forward line, instead of resting on the bench after his midfield stint.

Thompson, who was courted by Essendon in the lead-up to the 2007 premiership, has told the Herald Sun he wants another contract at Geelong.

Geelong coach Mark Thompson and full-back Matthew Scarlett are making a trip to the US to support Ben Graham in the NFL Super Bowl.