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Blues coach Craig Bellamy had the right idea, his players just couldn’t execute it well enough.
Queensland legend Wally Lewis was told by a NSW camp member that Bellamy’s instructions for the State of Origin series opener revolved heavily around not letting Thurston run, off-load or get away with his trademark “show and go” play.
Unfortunately for Bellamy, that proved a mission impossible as champion halfback Thurston orchestrated Queensland’s 28-24 win at ANZ Stadium.
Thurston’s performance — he engineered all five of Queensland’s tries on the back of a limited preparation with a suspect shoulder — left no doubt the 27-year-old is headed for Origin greatness alongside the likes of Lewis, Allan Langer and Darren Lockyer.
There have been some great halfback performances in Origin from the likes of Langer and also Andrew Johns, whose second half for NSW in game 2 of the 2005 series rates among the best.
Now there’s Thurston’s 80 minutes in game one of 2010 to talk about.
Lewis said Thurston was proving too hard for defenders to read when he took the ball to the line.
“Every time he gets the ball in his hands he creates doubt in the mind’s of the defenders,” said Lewis.
“You can see it. They (defenders) don’t know whether to run up and try and knock him over, hang back or put pressure on the guy who looks like getting the ball.”
And all that despite the concerted attentions of the Blues, spurred by Bellany’s instructions to stop him.
“It’s what the great players can do,” said Lewis.
“You might get a good player come into grade who you don’t know a lot about who might beat a defender with a dummy which is fair enough.
“But when you’ve got a guy who does it week in and week out in every game and he’s able to do it against the best in the business, you know that puts him a cut above the rest.”
It’s not often a player takes control of a game away from Queensalnd captain Darren Lockyer.
Thurston though was clearly “the man” and Lockyer was happy to step back and let him run the show.
“He’s producing it all of the time at the moment,” said Lewis.
“When Lockyer decides to retire, I’m sure Queensland selectors feel very comfortable knowing they have inspirational players like Thurston or Cameron Smith ready to take over.”
Lewis holds the record with eight man-of-the-match awards from Origin but at 27, and with a lot more Origins still to play, Thurston could close that gap.
“It would be good news for Queensland if he does,” said a smiling Lewis.”I think we’re all looking forward to that.”
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