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A devastated Johnathan Thurston struggled to contain his emotions after the North Queensland Cowboys were knocked out of the NRL finals for a third consecutive year amid extraordinary controversy.
Calls of a Sydney conspiracy will again be ringing loud in Townsville after the video referee said no to a spectacular Thurston try in the final minute which would have sunk the Sydney Roosters at Allianz Stadium.
The red `No Try’ flashed up and it was the Roosters prevailing 31-30 in another epic thriller.
In 2012, the Cowboys were dudded by the so-called `Hand of God’ moment where Manly got away with Kieran Foran clearly knocking the ball forward for a try.
Last season, Cronulla scored a try in their dramatic victory on the seventh tackle of a set.
On Friday night, after coming back from the dead at 30-0 down, the Cowboys were once again given reason to blame the officials.
This one appeared 50-50, with Cowboys halfback Robert Lui getting an arm to an errant pass from Kyle Feldt.
According to Phil Gould and Wally Lewis in the commentary box it went back, but the officials ruled it went forward.
Thurston’s chances of leading the Cowboys to a maiden grand final before he retires are getting longer and longer.
He was too shocked to talk at fulltime.
“Umm, arggh. I’m going to say something stupid, I’ll regret it,” said Thurston on Channel Nine.
When Gorden Tallis asked him about conspiracy, Thurston bit his tongue.
“Honestly I’m just speechless,” he said.
“It just wasn’t good enough in the end obviously.”
Gould was more to the point.
“For a long time in rugby league, that’s not a knock-on.”
It wasn’t the only controversial moment of the dying stages either.
In the direct lead-up to the James Maloney field goal, referees gave a penalty to the Roosters when Sonny Bill Williams appeared to lose it cold.
Then a clear forward pass from Roosters No.9 Jake Friend was missed.
Thurston won a grand final with Canterbury in 2004, as a bench player.
But for one of the greatest players of the modern era, he’s desperate to play the leading role in a premiership triumph.
His prospects of joining league’s immortals may depend on it.
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