Legends JT, Smith make their point
SOMETIMES I fear that we don’t actually celebrate our great players and the great moments in our game anywhere near well enough.
Current day champion players Johnathan Thurston and Cameron Smith will undoubtedly be spoken about in glowing terms for many decades to come. However, I only think it right that we should pause for a moment and reflect on their marvellous careers to date, and in particular the astonishing achievement both these players delivered last weekend.
Throughout the history of our game, prior to last weekend, only four players had broken the magical mark of scoring 2000 points during their playing careers. Former Bulldog Hazem El Masri leads the way scoring 2418 points, followed by Andrew Johns 2176, Jason Taylor 2107 and Daryl Halligan on 2034 points.
Then, on the one day, the same day, actually within the space of a couple of hours of each other, two of our game’s greatest players, Melbourne captain Smith and North Queensland skipper Thurston, both passed this incredible point-scoring milestone.
Now, if that was all then this would still be a remarkable story. But there’s so much more.
I find it incredible that these two icons of our game, who first met as young kids playing in junior league in Brisbane, have come through the age groups and grades together to produce two of the most remarkable playing careers in our game’s history, and on the same day each achieve the rarest of point-scoring records.
Thurston’s first memories of Smith were when both boys were playing against each other in the under 9s. Thurston was playing for Sunnybank, Smith was playing for the Logan club. At this point each was to the other just another player in an opposition jersey.
A couple of years later, when the boys were 11, the two actually met. At 13 they first played together in junior representative teams.
They began as competitors, became mates, then team-mates, and now, obviously, friends for life.
Who would’ve believed that two young lads playing in the same junior competition, in the same age group, would not only come through the grades together to eventually become champions of rugby league, the greatest leaders of their age, team-mates in the Australian national team, brothers in the greatest Queensland State of Origin era of all time, captain their respective NRL clubs to premiership victories, but then many years later, on the same day, each post 2000 career points in the NRL?
Who would have believed, when these two boys first shook hands as kids in the park, that almost 25 years later they would have amassed more than 4000 points between them? It’s the stuff of legend.
I can only imagine that both will be recognised as Immortals, or whatever the highest accolade our game can bestow at that time. Hopefully their recognition comes on the same day. To me, that would be just right. Of course, there is still more history to be written by this pair. They show no signs of slowing down.
Last weekend Thurston produced another five-star performance for his Cowboys, including kicking the winning field gold in golden-point extra time to clinch victory.
On Thursday night, we witnessed Smith kick a goal from the sideline, with only two minutes left on the clock, to win the game for his Storm.
These two marvellous footballers will yet again lead their clubs into this year’s final GETTY IMAGES series, they will lead Queensland into this year’s State of Origin series, they will again combine to win the World Cup for Australia at the end of the season.
It’s hard to predict where their individual point-scoring records will finally land. Given their history together, and the way their playing careers have almost mirrored each other right the way through, I think it would be only fitting if they eventually retired at the same time, having scored exactly the same number of points, thereby sharing the mantle of being the greatest pointscorers of all time.
Sounds a bit too romantic though. It’s probably too much to ask.
I phoned Thurston last week just to make sure I had my facts straight about where and when they first met and the relationship that they have shared. I then asked him: ‘‘When it came to playing together in State of Origin, how did you decide which of you would do the goalkicking for Queensland?’’
The phone went quiet, Thurston paused for what seemed like an eternity. Finally he answered: ‘‘I don’t know.’’
I asked if someone else made the decision for them? Was there ever a discussion?
Thurston could offer no explanation at all. All he could offer was that maybe he took the ball for the first kick because Smith was so tired from all the extra tackling he was doing in the middle of the field. He really has no idea why he ended up doing the kicking.
That sounds about right to me. Both men selfless, neither selfish. The characteristics of great leaders.
The similarities between the two men and their playing careers are endless. There is, however, one basic difference in their personality that separates the two. While both men are extraordinary leaders, fiercely competitive and highly successful, you can see a distinct difference in their demeanour in the fierceness of battle.
Smith always displays the cool, calm, collected, almost lawyertype personality when dealing with, or debating, pressure situations. He never seems to sweat. He never raises his voice, he never gets emotional, he rarely looks rattled.
Thurston? He too is a great leader. He inspires through his actions and his passion. He does, however, wear his heart on his sleeve. He is susceptible to the outburst or emotional response.
While they have obviously learnt to work so well together as a leadership team, this one little difference between the two personalities represents the yin and the yang of their partnership.
Thurston will turn 34 years of age on April 25 this year. Smith will be 34 on June 18.
The day will come when both men will retire as players. I somehow think both will make tremendous contributions to our game beyond their playing days. They will be revered with the highest recognitions our game can offer in the years to come. Their stories will become the stuff of legend for generations of the future.
I just wanted to remind ourselves of the story so far. It’s been a privilege to witness the careers of these two outstanding young men. Phil Gould is executive general manager of Penrith Panthers.