Johnathan Thurston says Kyle Feldt is ready for rep football after winger scores hat-trick of tries

JOHNATHAN Thurston has backed team-mate Kyle Feldt to make the step up to representative football after the winger scored a hat-trick in the halfback’s last home game for the Cowboys.

Kyle Feldt beats the Eels defence to score another try. Picture: Getty.

JOHNATHAN Thurston has backed team-mate Kyle Feldt to make the step up to representative football after the winger scored a hat-trick in the halfback’s last home game for the North Queensland Cowboys.

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Feldt, 26, lifted his try-tally for the season to 14, one shy of his record in each of the last two seasons, with his glut against the Parramatta Eels, as the hosts romped to a 44-6 victory.

The winger has been one of the few highlights in a bitterly disappointing year for the Cowboys and Thurston credits this to the work put in by Feldt before the campaign began.

“It’s probably the best pre-season he’s had coming into this season and his form has shown that,” Thurston said.

“He’s been one of our best consistently throughout the year.

Kyle Feldt beats the Eels defence to score another try. Picture: Getty.

“When he gets the opportunity (to play representative football) he’ll grab it with both hands.

“He’ll certainly do it justice.”

Thurston also lauded the performance of Jake Clifford who set up each of Feldt’s tries on Friday night and suggested his tough love towards the 20-year-old has paid dividends.

“I’ve been in to him the last few weeks to step up and make sure he play his part and he did that,” Thurston said.

“The pleasing part about that is he’s getting a lot of confidence to call the ball.”

Thurston will make the final appearance of his career at the Gold Coast Titans next week.