Friends, family tell of worries

FAMILY and friends of troubled footy great Mark Thompson have raised concerns for his wellbeing in the midst of a police probe that led to his arrest.

Thompson’s former wife Jana Clack has spoken of his downward spiral before Friday’s police raid on his Port Melbourne home and his subsequent arrest yesterday.

“I just feel for his kids and his parents,” she said.

Ms Clack, who married the former Essendon star and Geelong premiership coach in 2012, said she was worried about Thompson in the wake of the police probe.

“I just hope he’s OK. I’ll just wait and see how it pans out.’’

The ex-wife of the premiership player and coach said life had been hard for Thompson in the wake of the long-running Essendon supplements scandal.

“It’s just never ending,’’ she said. “The silliest thing he ever did was leaving Geelong.

“It’s all gone downhill from there ... it’s been one thing after another.

“But he’s got to sort his own s--t out himself.’’

Ms Clack, who married Thompson in an Echuca wedding attended by the likes of James Hird and former Cats players Matthew Scarlett and Cameron Mooney, said he made contact with family after Friday’s raid.

She said the impact of the 2012 supplements scandal took a heavy toll on Thompson, 54, including the breakdown of their marriage.

Former Geelong president Frank Costa said he noticed a change in Thompson after his first marriage broke down and he was secretly approached by Essendon.

“A couple of things happened that affected Mark’s mental state,” Costa said.

“First thing that happened, he left his wife.

“His children wouldn’t talk to him — he’s got three children. So things were pretty tough on him mentally.

“At the same time, he’d been approached by Essendon under the table to come and join Essendon and come and help James Hird in coaching the club.’’

Costa said the AFL’s $30,000 fine for bringing the game into disrepute was “terribly unfair on him’’.