Johnathan Dean Thurston (born 25 April 1983) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the National Rugby League. Widely regarded as one of the best NRL players of all time. Thurston was an Australian international, Queensland State of Origin and Indigenous All Stars representative, playing at or , and was a noted goal-kicker. Thurston has been an assistant coach of the Queensland rugby league team since 2021.
Johnathan Thurston started his career at the Canterbury Bulldogs, where he won the 2004 NRL premiership. He moved to the North Queensland Cowboys in 2005, playing in that year's grand final. In that year, he made his debut for Queensland, before making his Australian debut in 2006. He was the 2008 Wally Lewis medalist for State of Origin player of the series. Also in 2008, he was named as halfback of the Australian Aboriginal team of the century. Thurston was the only player to play in all 24 games of Queensland's eight-year State of Origin winning streak from 2006, having played 36 consecutive Origin matches from his debut in 2005. Thurston broke the record for most points in State of Origin history during the 2015 State of Origin series when smashing New South Wales 52–6. Also in 2015, Thurston co-captained the North Queensland Cowboys, along with teammate Matt Scott, to their inaugural NRL Premiership, kicking the winning field goal in golden point. He was also the 2015 Clive Churchill Medallist for grand final man of the match.
In 2015, he became the first ever four-time Dally M Medallist for the NRL season's best player, and later that year became the first ever three-time winner of the Golden Boot Award for the World's best player.
Background Thurston was born in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, to a Gunggari (Indigenous Australian) mother and a New Zealand Māori father who also has English heritage.
He began playing rugby league at a very young age for Souths Sunnybank RLFC in Brisbane's southside. At 12, Thurston signed a scholarship deal with the South Queensland Crushers. Later during his youth he moved to Toowoomba where he attended St. Mary's College, playing rugby league and also a great success playing Rugby Union for the school and the Toowoomba Rugby League's All Whites club.
Although a stand-out player at school and club level at 18 years of age, none of the National Rugby League clubs were willing to sign the Queenslander with many citing his small size as a problem. According to Thurston's manager, Sam Ayoub, a number of the clubs were not even willing to take him for free. Only St George Illawarra Dragons coach Nathan Brown was willing to sign him because he was going to play for nothing. Ultimately, Ayoub negotiated with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs to sign him as he had promised Thurston's mother he would keep an eye on him, and Belmore (the Bulldogs' home ground) was closer to where he lived. The Bulldogs eventually signed Thurston in the 2001 NRL season for 'nil playing fee'. Once Thurston had the opportunity he was selected for the Queensland U-19 side that year.http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,,22460660-23214,00.html
Playing career Early Career (2002–2004) Thurston made his NRL debut for the Canterbury Bulldogs in round 13 of the 2002 NRL season against the Penrith Panthers, coming off the interchange bench in the 38–24 win at Penrith Stadium. In round 21 against the North Queensland Cowboys, Thurston scored his first and second NRL career tries in Canterbury-Bankstown's 34–26 win at Dairy Farmers Stadium. Thurston scored 2 tries from 7 games in his debut season. As a specialist in the halves, Thurston was behind established Canterbury halves pairing Brent Sherwin and Braith Anasta and many of his critics still believed he was still too small in stature to be competitive in the NRL. Thurston was limited to 7 appearances for the 2002 season due to the Bulldogs' salary cap breach, as his payments for first-grade matches would have continued to breach the NRL's salary cap.
Thurston played in 15 matches and scored four tries in 2003.
Although Thurston never cemented a starting position and only took part in 29 matches throughout three seasons at Canterbury, in his final year in 2004, he was part of the Premiership-winning side, coming off the bench in the club's 16–13 win over the Sydney Roosters in the 2004 NRL Grand Final. Thurston wore jersey #18 for the match as he had been a late inclusion for regular captain Steve Price who, in the lead up to the match, was ruled out with a knee injury. As Price had initially housed and mentored him upon his arrival in Sydney, Thurston gave his premiership ring to Price as a thank you. Price was then able to give Thurston another ring in return. Towards the end of the season it was announced that 2004 would be his final year for the Sydney club as he was signed by the North Queensland Cowboys for 2005. Thurston played 7 matches and scored 4 tries for the year. At the end of the season, Thurston was approached by New Zealand but turned them down in favour of representing Australia and Queensland.
In 2015, it was revealed that Thurston had wanted to stay at Canterbury beyond the 2004 season but the management at the club had re-signed Sherwin and Anasta. According to Thurston's manager Sam Ayoub, the player had wanted to stay at Canterbury even if it had meant a diminished salary but had been told that leaving was the best option.
2005 In round 1 of the 2005 NRL season, Thurston made his club debut for North Queensland against the Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium at five-eighth in the club's 29–16 loss. In round 4, against the Newcastle Knights, Thurston scored his first club try for the Cowboys in the 52–18 win at Dairy Farmers Stadium. Thurston's return to Queensland proved to be a major turning point in his career. He became the starting halfback for the Cowboys, and his consistency earned him his first Queensland State of Origin jersey. In his debut match for Queensland in Game 1 of the 2005 State of Origin series at Suncorp Stadium, Thurston was voted Player's Player after being in the top 4 tacklers and kicking a field goal to force the game into extra time with Queensland eventually winning 24–20 after Cowboys teammate Matt Bowen scored an intercept try. In Game 3, Thurston scored a try in the Maroons 32–10 2005 State of Origin series loss at Suncorp Stadium. At club level Thurston was awarded the Halfback of the Year award and the prestigious Dally M Medal as the 2005 NRL season's Player of the Year, helping North Queensland to the 2005 NRL Grand Final, the first for the club. The Cowboys lost 30–16 to the Wests Tigers, ending Thurston's chance of winning two consecutive grand finals. Thurston played in 26 matches, scored 5 tries, kicked 28 goals and kicked 2 field goals in the 2005 NRL season. This was a start to a flourishing career.
2006 Thurston started the 2006 NRL season with a bang in Round 1 against the Brisbane Broncos; Thurston scored a hat trick of tries and kicked 6 goals in the Cowboys Queensland derby match 36–4 win at Suncorp Stadium. This was the start of a 6-match winning streak. Thurston was selected to make his international debut for Australia in the 2006 Anzac Test against New Zealand off the interchange bench in the Kangaroos 50–12 win at Suncorp Stadium. In the 2006 State of Origin series, Thurston was instrumental in Queensland's series win as the Maroons recovered from defeat in the first game to take the series 2–1. Thurston played in all 3 matches and kicked 7 goals. After the series, the Cowboys hit a mid-year slump and Thurston dislocated his knee in Round 20. The Cowboys suffered without Thurston and missed the finals coming at 9th place, Thurston finished the year with him playing in 17 matches, scoring 11 tries and kicking 49 goals. Thurston later recovered from his injury at the end of the regular NRL season and played for the Prime Minister's XIII before making the Australian squad for the Tri-Nations tournament. Thurston was chosen to play halfback for the first and second games against New Zealand where he was rewarded 'Man of Match' honours for the first game. Despite losing the jumper to Ben Hornby for the first game against Great Britain he returned for the second game against Great Britain and kept his place for the final against New Zealand. In this match, with the scores locked at 12–12 and the game into its 2nd half of golden point extra time, a Thurston break allowed him to set Darren Lockyer up for the 16–12 series-winning try for The Kangaroos finishing his year on a high note.
2007
As Thurston entered his third year with the Cowboys in the 2007 NRL season, he was appointed the Captain of the team following the retirement of Travis Norton. Thurston was again selected to play for the Australian national team at halfback in the 2007 Anzac Test match against New Zealand, kicking 5 goals from 6 attempts in the Kangaroos' 30–6 victory at Suncorp Stadium. In Game One of the 2007 State of Origin series, Thurston was named 'Man of the Match' for his performance in Queensland's 25–18 victory at Suncorp Stadium. Thurston led well as captain for the Cowboys and the team improved dramatically from the previous year to finish a strong third place on the ladder by the end of the regular season. Unfortunately they fell one game short of the club's second grand final appearance losing 28–6 to the second-placed Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in what was otherwise a successful year. On 4 September 2007, Thurston won the Halfback of the Year and the Dally M Medal Player of the Year Award for the second time in three years, narrowly edging out Wests Tigers' Robbie Farah due to his strong performances in the final rounds of the regular season. Thurston played in 25 matches, scored 10 tries and kicked 78 goals for the Cowboys in the 2007 season.
2008 At the conclusion of the 2007 season it was reported Thurston would require major shoulder surgery due to ongoing physical damage to his ligaments. He underwent two shoulder reconstructions. Thurston was supposed to make a return for the Cowboys in Round 5 of the 2008 NRL season following his off-season surgery, but made a surprise return in Round 1 against the Gold Coast Titans, scoring 2 tries in the Cowboys 36–18 loss at the Titans first match at their home ground of Robina Stadium. In Round 3 against the Brisbane Broncos, Thurston played his 100th NRL match in the Cowboys 36–2 loss at Suncorp Stadium. Thurston was selected at halfback in the Australian team for the Centenary Test against New Zealand, Thurston kicked 4 goals in the Kangaroos 28–12 win at the SCG. In the deciding match of the 2008 State of Origin series in game three, Thurston set up a try for Billy Slater which would ultimately win the game and the series for Queensland 16–10 at ANZ Stadium. Thurston was also named the Wally Lewis Player of the Series. Thurston would not replicate the previous year's successes in 2008, as the Cowboys seemed to lose all of their exciting spark that saw them renovate the club's reputation in recent years. Three wins at the start of the year held promise, but after a record-breaking 15-match losing streak, all hope faded. Thurston played 17 matches, scored 4 tries and kicked 39 goals for the Cowboys in the 2008 NRL season. In August 2008, Thurston was named in the Australia training squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. On 7 October 2008, Thurston was confirmed in the final 24-man Australian squad. In Australia's first match of the tournament Thurston, despite mourning the murder of his uncle in a Brisbane park less than 38 hours prior, put in a strong performance to be named man-of-the-match in the Kangaroos 30–6 win over the Kiwis at the Sydney Football Stadium. In the 2008 Rugby League World Cup final against New Zealand, Thurston played at halfback and kicked 2 goals in the 34–20 loss at Suncorp Stadium.
2009