Thurston a legend of league
EVERY WEEK Glen, Jason and Sean talk about the big issues in sport locally, nationally and internationally.
This week the team is talking about Toowoomba Brothers old-boy, North Queensland Cowboys star and Queensland legend Johnathan Thurston.
The Cowboys need to beat the Parramatta Eels this weekend to make sure Thurston doesn’t finish his career with a wooden spoon.
Even a spoon wouldn’t tarnish his reputation but that’s not we’re talking about - today the focus is on what we think of the 35-year-old champion.
JASON GIBBS: I’ve got to say a few years back I didn’t think much of Thurston and it had nothing to with the fact I was New South Welshman who was sick of the sight of every Queenslander.
I just didn’t rate the guy. I thought he wasn’t any better that most halves out there and he lacked consistency.
But then things changed. I read a few articles, watched a few interviews and heard him talk about some pretty big issues in league and life.
I quickly developed a real respect for Johnathan Thurston the man – not the league player.
Then I started watching him more intently during games.
He quickly struck as a “glue” player – the type of player who binds his team together.
Everyone loves the Thurston “show n go”, his pinpoint kicking game and his laser like penalty goals.
But if you watch Thurston closely he’s just as good at the immeasurable plays.
The type of plays that don’t show up in the statistics.
He’s constantly marshalling his defence, setting up his outside backs for pinpoint attacking raids and making sure his team-mates know their rule.
He’s a general that energises his team through words and actions.
He’s a generally a top bloke, a fantastic player and surely a future Immortal. GLEN McCULLOUGH:
You can learn more about people when the going gets tough for them than you might in the good times.
Anyone can be a shining star when they are on top of the world and everything keeps coming up roses for them.
Things sure didn’t fall into place for Thurston in 2018.
From touted premiers to eventual cellar dwellers could not possibly have been seen coming by the Cowboys or Thurston.
But he’s handled the almighty fall with as much class and grace as he might have holding the premiership trophy aloft.
Like I say, that is a true measure of who I believe Thurston to be and exactly how we want our role models to lead.
The bloke is an absolute champion.
Unfortunately Thurston will be remembered by members of the peanut gallery as having played one season too long.
But not in the eyes of people who admire his humility as much as they did his freakish football skills.
SEAN TEUMA: There is no doubting the champion nature of JT.
His resume reads longer than the Bible and you’d struggle to find a better ambassador for the game.
Something in particular that has stood out to me this year; while his overall level of play has declined and he has reached the proverbial cliff, he continues to show pure effort.
Whether it is never giving up a chase from a mile back, or hurling his body to attempt a charge down or impact a play in some way, Thurston hasn’t gone out on a complete loss.
It shows the competitive nature that has made Thurston such a champion over all these years.
Being undersized is often a key detractor from a player in a game like rugby league, particularly in cracking it into first grade.
He has shown that despite being one of the smaller halves in the competition, attitude and effort can get you a long way (mixed with a ton of skill).
A lot of players on the fringe of making it in the big time can do worse than look at the way Thurston plays the game, and take the little things on board that he does.
Chase every play until it’s over, back up your team-mates on the inside, put your body on your line for your team.
He doesn’t deserve to finish his career with the most dreaded ‘prize’ in sports.