Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
Clayton C. Thompson

Known as
Clayton Thompson

Nickname
Candles

Born
11 December 1929

Died
28 June 2010 (aged 80)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 24y 141d
Last game: 26y 251d

Height and weight
Height: 198 cm
Weight: 89 kg

Senior clubs
Sturt; Hawthorn

Jumper numbers
Hawthorn: 20

Recruited from
Sturt (1954); Hawthorn (1957)

Hall of fame
South Australian Football Hall Of Fame (2005)

Clayton Thompson

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
SturtSANFL1948-1953, 1957-19611512361.56
HawthornV/AFL1954-195650541.0842%4
Total1948-19612012901.44

AFL: 6,430th player to appear, 4,299th most games played, 1,940th most goals kickedHawthorn: 448th player to appear, 273rd most games played, 118th most goals kicked

Known as 'Candles', Clayton Thompson was a gangly giant (198cm, 89kg) of a forward-ruckman who marked and kicked well and was deceptively mobile. He played 151 SANFL games for Sturt in two stints from 1948 to 1953 and between 1957 and 1961, kicking 236 goals, and topping the club's goal-kicking list on three occasions. He also won the club's best and fairest award twice. 

After impressing at the 1953 Adelaide carnival when he was the top goalkicker with 17 goals and achieved All Australian selection, Thompson was signed by Hawthorn. In three seasons with the Hawks, playing mainly as a forward, he racked up 50 VFL games and booted 54 goals. On his return to Sturt he was given a license to roam as a ruckman and produced some of the best football of his career. He was a hot favourite to win the 1959 Magarey Medal, but finished runner-up to teammate Len Fitzgerald. His interstate career comprised 11 appearances for South Australia, which netted him 25 goals.

Author - John Devaney

Sources

Full Points Footy's SA Football Companion

Footnotes

* Behinds calculated from the 1965 season on.
+ Score at the end of extra time.