Thurston warns Cowboys to be fully alert
North Queensland co-captain Johnathan Thurston says his side needs to be more consistent as they aim to snap a three-game losing run in today’s double header NRL clash against the Warriors.
The Cowboys have been below par through the opening rounds but Thurston believes his side can bounce back if they maintain their focus at Mt Smart Stadium.
Last year’s grand finalists arrived in Auckland on Thursday with the 2017 premiers, Melbourne Storm, who will look to celebrate coach Craig Bellamy’s 400th match with a win over former Warriors coach Ivan Cleary’s Wests Tigers in the earlier match.
The Paul Green-coached Cowboys are looking to upset the Warriors as they search for five-straight wins for the first time in five years, with a crowd in excess of 22,000 expected for their second home game of the season — their biggest attendance at Mt Smart since the 2008 finals.
“We’re doing some really good things throughout matches but we’re not doing it on a consistent basis,” Thurston said. “So that’s the challenge for us, is to make sure we can put out an 80-minute performance. We’re seeing a lot of good things but not for long enough.
“The coaching staff are happy enough with how we’re playing throughout the game but we need to do that for longer periods.”
Thurston admits his own play has not been up to his usual lofty standards and is looking to lead the way for his side with an improved all-round performance.
“There’s some areas that I need to be better at and, like everyone in the team, we’re still working extremely hard to fix those areas,” he said.
“Definitely my defence. Getting my defence right and my fifth tackle options as well, getting my kick selection right.
“There’s a few things there to work on.”
The occasion also sees the return of several former Warriors players in the Wests Tigers side, with Cleary, who remains one of the Aucklandbased club’s favourite sons following successful stints as both a player (2000-2002) and coach (2006-2011).
Ex-Warriors Tui Lolohea, Russell Packer, Pita Godinet, and Ben Matulino will all turn out for the jointventure club, with former Kiwis captain Benji Marshall, as they look to continue their impressive form that’s seen them win three of their first four games.
Packer, who was mentored by Cleary during six-years at the Warriors (2008-2013), says Cleary has a knack of getting the best out of his players.
“A big part of his core beliefs is building a club [with players] that are committed to each other,” Packer said.
“Everyone’s willing to work hard for each other and put the team first and most of the people in this team believe in those same things.”
Meanwhile, Storm back-rower and former Warriors captain Ryan Hoffman also celebrates his 250th appearance in the club’s purple strip, while Bellamy will become just the seventh coach to reach 400 games.
Hoffman returned to Melbourne this season after three years with the Warriors (2015-2017), and will become just the fifth player to reach the 250-game milestone in Storm history, joining Cameron Smith (362), Billy Slater (302), Cooper Cronk (323) and Matt Geyer (262).
“Melbourne Storm is a club that has been built on people like Ryan Hoffman,” Storm football director Frank Ponissi said.
“He is everything you could ever want in a player; hard-working, consistent, humble, a natural leader and extremely talented.
“Some of the best moments this club has enjoyed have been with Ryan on the field, he has been an incredible player and an even better person for Melbourne Storm — we are delighted that he has returned home to rightly finish his career where it all started.”