Johnathan Thurston’s representative farewell tour is set to kick off with Australia’s rugby league Test in Canberra on Friday night, teammate Cooper Cronk has declared.
Thurston is all but certain to take on the Kiwis after completing Tuesday’s training run, while Darius Boyd is also on track to play despite failing to finish the session.
“He’s (Boyd) absolutely fine. He’s getting treatment and there’s no issue whatsoever. He’ll be lining up in the number one jersey on Friday night,” Cronk said on Wednesday.
And while much of the spotlight surrounds skipper Cameron Smith becoming just the second Australian to reach the 50-Test milestone, the party will also extend to veteran Thurston.
The Kangaroos five-eighth has already announced his intention to retire from the representative scene at the end of the year, and Cronk says the team will approach the occasion accordingly.
“He’s probably having a few farewells and swansongs this year in the representative arena … and rightly so,” Cronk said.
“But Johnathan Thurston’s not a selfish player. He wouldn’t be playing this game if he didn’t think he could contribute and he will on Friday night.
“I think he’s done everything possible – he’s ticked all the boxes and Mal Meninga and the senior playing group have a lot of faith in Johnathan.
The Test could also be one of many “lasts” for Cronk himself, who declared his intention to leave Melbourne at the end of the year and move to Sydney to join his fiance.
However the 33-year-old has shelved thoughts surrounding the possibility of this being his own year-long send-off as he focuses on whether to retire or play on with a Sydney club next year.
“I’m more thinking about, ‘do I want to play on or not’, and I haven’t really had those thoughts. I suppose in hindsight, it possibly could be (his final year),” he said.
“But I think there’s a few other things to focus on in terms preparation for this week. This year has the potential to be a massive year for the Kangaroos.
“I thought we made some really good steps in the right direction in the Four Nations campaign last year under Mal. That’s the expectation going forward for 2017.”
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.
Australians are among the sportiest people on Earth. Much as we like to play code wars with each other, the fact that we can…
Over the years 47 players have represented Australia in rugby league and union - so who is the best of the dual code internationals?
Proposed rule changes to Origin eligibility might be that rarest of things: a solution that works for everyone.
The shortlist for the International Rugby League (IRL) Golden Boot Award has been announced, with a host of hard-runners listed for the top prizes.…
After Australia's 30-nil thumping in the Pacific Championship final, there could be a vastly different Kangaroos team in the next international competition.
A famous day for New Zealand as the Kiwis thrash Australia to take the Pacific Championships title.
