Maroons out to give JT a series win
Teammates want to make sidelined star’s last Origin series one to remember
The way Michael Morgan sees it, Queensland five-eighth Johnathan Thurston left State of Origin the way he deserved — as a champion. But Morgan says the Maroons are determined to claim Wednesday night’s series decider in Brisbane to ensure Thurston also bows out a winner.
Thurston will receive a pre-match tribute at Origin III at Suncorp Stadium after a season-ending shoulder injury suffered in Origin II ended his Maroons career. Remarkably, that did not stop Thurston kicking the match-winning sideline conversion.
While gutted Thurston’s 37-game Origin career had ended one game early, Maroons centre Morgan believed his North Queensland teammate received a fitting farewell.
“I was very disappointed for him personally,” Morgan said. “It obviously became his last game.
“But to finish it the way he did — as a champion — is what he deserved.”
Morgan said it was now up to the Queensland team to salute Thurston by sealing their 11th series win in 12 years.
“You still want to make it a good series, so that you can say he won his last series as an Origin player,” Morgan said. “So there’s a bit of motivation there still.”
Thurston’s Origin career included a record 36 straight games, a streak that ended when his troublesome shoulder ruled him out of game one.
He was the only Queensland player to feature in every match of their eight consecutive series wins from 2006.
Thurston — who will retire from representative football at year’s end — is Origin’s leading point scorer with 220 (five tries, 99 goals, two field goals) and has a record 30 try assists.
Game three may also draw the curtain on the Origin careers of fullback Billy Slater and halfback Cooper Cronk, who are yet to decide whether to play on in 2018.
“I hope it’s not their last, personally. It’s not a decision they’ve come out and made publicly,” Morgan said.
Queensland skipper Cameron Smith admitted he was trying to keep his mind on the job.
“I try to take the emotion out of it,” Smith said.
“It’s probably one of the biggest games we have been involved in but I will try and take that away and say we have to get a job done and, if we get it done, then a few tears might come out — maybe.”