SOME stories are bigger than football. This is one of them.

After a generous gesture some 30 years ago, Mark ‘Bomber’ Thompson was reunited with his 1984 premiership jumper on Wednesday night.

Up until recently, Thompson believed the jumper was buried with Michael Lawson, the young man he gifted the piece of memorabilia to in the ‘80s.

Lawson died on April 4, 1990. Leukaemia had eventually taken its toll after a two-year battle. He was just 18.

Round 18

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Michael Hardy with the 1984 Essendon premiership cup. Photo: Ian Currie Source: News Corp Australia

“It was probably a strange thing to do, looking at it now,” Thompson told Fox Footy’s AFL 360.

“Memorabilia is quite special and kept and all of that. But at the time I felt like anyway I could help that young man and put a smile on his face ... I think it did.”

Thompson was made aware of the existence of the jumper, after Lawson’s stepbrother Mark Hardy reached out to AFL 360 co-host Mark Robinson.

Hardy said he always knew of the signed jumper, but only made the connection that it was Thompson’s grand final guernsey during a recent wardrobe clean out.

Branded on the jumper was the message: “To Michael, Best wishes. Wear this knowing I played in a Grand Final in it. All the best, Mark Thompson.”

When Hardy read of Thompson’s mental demons, he knew he had to act and repay the generosity shown to his dying brother.

Mark Thompson after the 1984 premiership. Source: News Corp Australia

“It brought my brother happiness at a time when there was no happiness in his life,” Hardy said.



“It made him happy and smile. It was a very moving thing to do. And for nothing in return.

“It almost gave me the trigger in my head to send the message back, to give it back. And I thought I’d give it back to Bomber.”

Hardy conceded it was difficult to hand the jumper back, but that he knew it was the right thing to do.

“Mark earned it, he played for it, he won for it. Michael died for it,” Hardy said.

“And I found it basically. It’s not mine to have. It would mean a lot more to Bomber than to me or my dad or my sister.

“It was Michael’s in his time of need and I wanted to repay the favour.”

A clearly moved Thompson replied: “To get it back after its been lent out for thirty odd years makes it a little more special.”