Bargain buy Martin really pays off
TE MAIRE Martin has become Johnathan Thurston’s project player and the bargain buy of the season with the Cowboys snaring the boom five-eighth for just $50,000.
While Martin’s scrumbase rival tonight Anthony Milford recently inked a $1 million deal with the Broncos, the Cowboys have kept their season alive by brokering the ultimate cutprice contract.
Martin arrived in Townsville in mid-June, just seven days before the crushing revelation that Thurston, North Queensland’s most important player, required season-ending shoulder surgery.
With Martin on the outer at Penrith, Panthers supremo Phil Gould agreed to sign off on a contract subsidy that enabled the 21-year-old to rebuild his career at the Cowboys.
To complete the transfer, the Cowboys only had to provide a minor investment of $50,000 and the club’s shrewd spending has been vindicated by Martin’s sizzling form filling the Thurston void.
Martin was outstanding in last week’s defeat of the Tigers and revealed Thurston has become his secret weapon in his mission to outsmart Milford tonight in the derby.
“‘Jonno’ (Thurston) does some great mentoring with me,” Martin said.
“He sees a lot of stuff that most people don’t and at halftime, he will come down and give me advice in the sheds.”