Thursto’s ultimate Hess test
PICTURE this – Coen Hess running full steam at Johnathan Thurston.
It sounds like Queensland coach Kevin Walters’ worst nightmare and it came to life in Darwin last Friday.
The 110kg Hess Express ( right) was told to wind up and let rip at Thurston’s recovering shoulder in the Top End.
If Thurston couldn’t handle Hess, he wouldn’t have been allowed to face the Eels and prove his fitness for Origin II.
“I had to test my shoulder out on him,” Thurston said.
“Once I had attempted to tackle him a couple of times I knew my shoulder would handle it.
“Once I tackled him and one of the other boys Corey Jensen, who is honestly like hitting granite, I knew my shoulder would be sweet.
“Physique wise, ( Hess) has been blessed with the goods.
“He’s going to have a long career in grade. He’s quite an athlete.”
That physique has made Hess the NRL’s try- scoring sensation of 2017.
The 20- year- old has crossed for a stunning 10 tries in 13 games to rocket into a Maroons jersey as part of a revamped Queensland team for the must- win Game Two on Wednesday.
He may only have played 22 NRL games but Cowboys teammate Thurston, a 36- Origin veteran, has no doubts Hess is ready to tackle the Blues.
“Without a doubt. We’ve all seen what he can do,” Thurston said.
“I’ve seen him come through the grades and he’s handled everything that’s been thrown at him.
“He’s still raw and learning the game and the way that Kevvie will use him, he’ll be right defensively. He’s got some experienced players that can help him in the middle. He’ll handle this.”
Those in Townsville have h had d a high opinion of Hess for a long time.
He made his NRL debut in 2015 and played a handful of games last year, but it wasn’t until this season that he truly exploded.
The Bundaberg product has an incredibly strong upper- body making him hard to contain close to the line.
It takes a special talent to dominate older, bigger men like Hess has and Maroons teammate Josh Papalii has seen how tough he is to handle first- hand.
“I’ve actually been run over by him,” Papalii said. “It was up in Townsville. There were three dudes on him and he just put the ball down for another try.
“He’s pretty strong. He’s a big man. I met him for the first time ( on Wednesday) and I think he’s as tall as Dylan Napa.”
Walters knows he is taking a gamble by thrusting Hess into the Origin pressure- cooker and has slapped a media ban on the rampaging forward.
He may only rank 22nd in the youngest debutants in Origin history but he is still in the infancy of his first- grade career, prompting Cowboys coach Paul Green to declare Hess wasn’t ready for Origin.
Whether Green’s warning should have been heeded will be decided at ANZ Stadium on Wednesday, but the Maroons have seen enough of Hess to feel he will thrive.