It’s official. Jonathan Thurston is STILL the best rugby league player in the world, and now also the best five-eighth.
With Darryn Locker now retired the only other contender to claim the top number six jersey is Kiwi skipper Benjy Marshall, but Thurston blew him away in the ANZAC Test Match on Friday night following on from his man of the series performance in the Four Nations.
The former Cleo ‘Most Eligible Bachelor’ aspirant has come a long way since he signed on with the Canterbury Bulldogs in 2001 for a ‘nil playing fee’.
His value on the open market today would be a minimum $800,000 per season.
Developing winning footy teams is all about balance, and with Thurston replacing future immortal Lockyer as a second receiver, the National and Queensland teams incredibly are stronger.
Thurston does not offer the calming influence of Lockyer both on and off the field, but his skill level is higher.
Thurston was also the best halfback in the world prior to his move, while Lockyer was always uncomfortable on the few occasions he played halfback, but Thurston’s replacement at seven, Cooper Cronk offers Australia and the Maroons an enhanced skill.
Cronk will be a future NRL coach, and he is the best talker and organiser in the game. As good as Thurston was at halfback, he is not the on field general that Cronk is. He does not scream at his tired forwards and communicate as good to his game breakers.
To be able to add this new general, or should we call him a ‘field marshall’, to an already fabulous team, and then move the best player in the world to a position where he could even go on to greater heights is balance with a capital B.
Thurston is the only player to have played in all 18 games through Queensland’s six-year winning streak in State Of Origin and we have just put forward an argument to say the best is yet to come.
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