JT’s Cowboys desperate to avoid final humiliation

COWBOYS coach Paul Green has challenged his troops to aim up against the Eels and save the club’s greatest player, Johnathan Thurston, from the pain of a wooden-spoon finale.

Retiring champion Thurston plays his final home game in Townsville on Friday night but rather than a celebration, the Cowboys are under pressure to avoid crushing humiliation.

North Queensland and Parramatta are equal last on 14 competition points, with the Eels’ differential (-104) slightly superior to that of the Cowboys (-114).

Parra face a daunting final-round clash against big guns the Roosters in a fortnight, meaning the Cowboys will almost certainly avoid the dreaded spoon if they dispose of the Eels.

Thurston has literally spilt blood for the club – he sustained a small facial gash in the 28-16 loss to Cronulla on Saturday night – and Green says the club owes their 2015 premiership hero a fitting send-off.

“It’s important we give ‘JT’ the honour he deserves given what he has done in the game,” Green said.

“There’s a couple of big weeks coming up, given where we are at.

“If we (fast) forward a week and we’re sitting there after the (Eels) game, and we haven’t got the result we want, it won’t feel very good.

“It’s important we make sure we prepare well this week and get the outcome we want.”