State of Origin 2017: Queensland don’t need Johnathan Thurston’s retirement as motivation

KEVIN Walters says there will be no talk of Johnathan Thurston’s Origin retirement ahead of Origin II. The Maroons don’t need any more motivation.

Queensland are focused on winning, not farewelling Johnathan Thurston. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

KEVIN Walters has revealed there will be no talk around Johnathan Thurston’s looming Origin retirement ahead of Wednesday’s do-or-die clash, because the Maroons do not need any more pressure or motivation with the series on the line.

Thurston has just two games left in his coveted maroon jersey, with Queensland hoping his magic can prevent the Blues from grabbing just their second series win in 12 years.

But when asked if the team will use Thurston’s upcoming retirement from Origin football as inspiration, Walters was adamant they would not.

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The Maroons are only focused on winning. (Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

He said the Queensland team already have enough pressure on them without making them feel like they have to win for Thurston.

“I don’t think that would be fair on anyone … We have enough on our plate,” Walters said.

“We want John to leave the Origin scene in a positive mode but that can only happen if we get the right result in Game Two.

“The players can just do their own jobs and do it really well. If they do that, the result should be a lot closer and we will get a good performance.

“That’s what we want. Is that good enough to win us the game? Well, we’ll wait and see.”

Thurston’s close friend, Cowboys and Maroons teammate Gavin Cooper, backed up Walters’ stance this week.

With just one Origin appearance under his belt, the giant backrower said the team has to focus on the task at hand first before bringing Thurston into it.

Thurston and the Maroons arrive in Sydney. Photo: Peter Wallis

But he admitted that while no one had spoken about Thurston, the team all knew he deserved the best send-off possible.

“It’s something that hasn’t been spoken about or nothing that I’ve heard,” Cooper said of Thurston’s retirement.

“JT being JT, this week’s not about him. It’s about the Maroon jersey and that’s the way everyone’s approaching it.

“He deserves everything he gets when it comes to Origin. Everything he’s done in the game, especially at Origin level, he’s shown his durability and his worth to Queensland for a long time now.”

Walters said the time will come to celebrate Thurston but that will not be until the team meet again for his final Origin match at Suncorp Stadium next month.

“We know that Game Three will be Johnathan’s swan song,” Walters said. “We’ll certainly make note of that for Game Three.”