WHO WILL BE THE NEW JT?
COWBOYS champion Johnathan Thurston requires season-ending shoulder surgery and his representative career is over in a huge blow to the club’s premiership hopes ... and the Maroons.
The halfback re-injured his right shoulder in Wednesday’s 18-16 win over NSW in Origin II, keeping his swansong series alive.
The 34-year-old played on, but is now set to miss what would have been his final game for the Maroons in the July 12 decider at Suncorp Stadium.
Cowboys coach Paul Green and Thurston fronted media yesterday to confirm he requires surgery, which will also rule him out of the season-ending World Cup.
Thurston was due to play his 300th game against the Penrith Panthers at 1300 SMILES Stadium today.
A visibly emotional Thurston said there was no other option but to go under the knife.
“To be honest it felt like a cork to the shoulder. When I first did it in the Test I could still get through the game and obviously Wednesday night,” he said.
“It was encouraging signs yesterday morning but I got the scans and the news isn’t good. The best decision for myself and the club is to get the op done.
“I thought I could pump one or two games out, but the medical advice I’ve been given is to live a healthy life after football, it’s best to get this done now.
“I wanted to finish on a high this year with representative football but that’s not to be.”
Thurston’s season has been dogged by injury. He injured his calf in round six against Wests Tigers, and has played just once for the Cowboys since after initially
hurting his shoulder in the Anzac Test against New Zealand.
He made his first return from the injury against Parramatta almost a fortnight ago, and Green said the club was at ease with the decision.
“At that stage when we did decide he was ready to play he passed all physical markers in terms of strength and stability in the shoulder,” he said.
“Given what’s happened on Wednesday night has made it worse, there’s no other option (but surgery) at this stage.”
Asked if he would have liked to see Thurston leave the field with the injury in Origin, Green said: “No, I don’t think so.
“Origin is a high-stakes game and you don’t know at that stage what has happened. It may have been a cork.
“Lucky for Queensland he didn’t (leave the field), he kicked us home to victory.”
His injury means fellow Maroons star Michael Morgan will need to take on more responsibility in the
Cowboys halves, and he is an option to replace Thurston for Queensland.
The Cowboys this week signed unwanted Penrith half Te Maire Martin as timely injury cover for Thurston.
However, Kyle Laybutt – who was strong on debut against Melbourne last week – will play against the Panthers today.
Thurston will spend the rest of the year mentoring the likes of Laybutt and Martin and is looking at the positives, including spending more time with family.
“This morning I was able to go to ballet and watch (daughter) Frankie do a display, which was quite nice and put a smile on my
face,” Thurston said.
Maroons coach Kevin Walters yesterday expressed his gratitude to Thurston after his efforts in State of Origin II.
“We are very grateful to Johnathan, that he has put this team in the position that we are now able to go to Suncorp Stadium for a decider,” Walters said.
“His efforts in game two were really above and beyond.
“It’s obviously a big void to fill for the Maroons, but we have got some good options there available to us.
“We will see what happens over the next few weeks and the next two rounds of NRL before we make our decision.”
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To live a healthy life after football, it’s best to get this done now.
— Johnathan Thurston