JT v Coops: Final clash

JOHNATHAN Thurston has pledged to go down fighting to save the Cowboys from the wooden spoon as the champion half braces for a showdown with former Maroons partnerin-crime Cooper Cronk.

Thurston and Cronk formed one of the great Origin scrumbase combinations, steering the Maroons to five series wins in six years before announcing their representative retirements last season.

Now the pair will square off as enemies for one final time, with the retiring Thurston hoping the struggling Cowboys can morph into giant-killers to upset Cronk’s Roosters tomorrow night at Allianz Stadium.