Injured JT robbed of Origin farewell dream

JOHNATHAN Thurston’s hopes of a State of Origin farewell are officially over, with the North Queensland halfback ruled out for the rest of the season with a shoulder injury.

A shattered Thurston will have surgery on his right rotator cuff after scans revealed multiple injuries in his shoulder after Wednesday’s 18-16 Queensland Origin II win.

The injury will also likely end his Kangaroos career, with the champion playmaker admitting turning out in the endof-year World Cup before his representative retirement was no longer a reality.

“It’s pretty shattering,” Thurston said. “I got the scan and the news isn’t good.

“I thought I might be able to pump one or two more games out. But the medical advice I’ve been given is if you want to live a healthy life after football, it’s best to get this done now.”

The news caps a bad year for the four-time Dally M medallist. The 34-year-old injured his calf in the Cowboys’ Round 6 loss to Wests Tigers in early April, and was forced to race the clock to be fit for May’s Anzac Test.

He then injured his shoulder in that match, and only made his return for the Cowboys in the week before he went into camp for Origin II.

But Cowboys coach Paul Green insisted yesterday they had not rushed the 299-game NRL veteran back early.

“At that stage when we did decide he was physically right to play, he passed all medical markers in terms of strength, stability in the shoulder,” Green said. “There was always a risk of him re-injuring it, everyone knew that at the start. The nature of the initial injury wasn’t such that we thought he needed surgery there and then.

“But given what’s happened on Wednesday night has made it worse. There is really no other option at this stage.”

Thurston played on after he suffered the blow late in the first half when he made a tackle on Blues forward Tyson Frizell, as he hoped it was only a muscle cork. He went on to kick the matchwinning goal from the sideline, keeping alive the Maroons’ hopes of an 11th series victory in 12 years.

But the Queensland and Kangaroos veteran said he would not entertain the thought of extending his representative career into next season, when he is still contracted to the Cowboys.