Who is Johnathan Thurston?
Johnathan Thurston is a retired Australian rugby league halfback, widely regarded as one of the greatest players of his era. He starred for the North Queensland Cowboys, Queensland and Australia.
Born in Brisbane in 1983, Thurston began his NRL career with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, winning a premiership with them in 2004. He then moved to the North Queensland Cowboys in Townsville in 2005.
In 2015, he led the Cowboys to their first premiership, kicking a field goal in extra time to win the grand final against the Brisbane Broncos. The moment is one of the most famous in rugby league history.
Awards and Origin
Thurston won the Dally M Medal as the NRL's best player four times, a record. He was also a key part of Queensland's record run of eight straight State of Origin series wins from 2006 to 2013.
He played 37 Origin games for Queensland and 38 Tests for Australia, winning the 2013 World Cup. He retired in 2018.
Thurston, an Aboriginal man, is known for community work in North Queensland and for promoting education and health in Indigenous communities.
Did You Know?
Thurston won the Golden Boot as the world's best rugby league player three times.