Ahead of Johnathan Thurston’s 250th first grade game, general manager Peter Parr pays tribute to late coach Graham Murray

AS Johnathan Thurston prepares to play his 250th NRL game, general manager Peter Parr pays tribute to the man who brought him to the club

11 Sept 2004 NRL week 1 finals - Broncos vs Melbourne Storm @ Suncorp Stadium. Jubilant Cowboys coach Graham Murray celebrates picMark/Evans sport rugby league action fists profile

THE legacy of the late Graham Murray will loom over Townsville on Saturday as Johnathan Thurston plays his 250th NRL game against the Warriors.

It took a personal sales pitch from Cowboys coach Murray to lure the shy young playmaker away from Canterbury a decade ago, changing the destiny of two clubs in the process.

Cowboys general manager of football Peter Parr yesterday detailed just how far the champion has come in his 11 seasons at the club, transforming from a shy kid who seldom spoke and made virtually no eye contact in their first meeting in 2004.

Murray, who coached the Cowboys from 2002-08, died of a heart attack in 2013 without seeing the club win a premiership. On Saturday his greatest gift to north Queensland’s league-made population will reach one of the game’s great milestones.

Murray steered the Cowboys to their first grand final in 2005. Picture Peter Wallis.

Murray and Parr met Thurston and his manager Sam Ayoub at a Coogee cafe midway through the 2004 season to offer the rising young Dogs star an opportunity of a permanent starting spot at North Queensland to step out of the shadows of Braith Anasta and Brent Sherwin.

Parr said Thurston did not want to leave Canterbury but the Cowboys made an offer that was too good to refuse.

“He hardly said a word,’’ Parr said. “He was very respectful but very shy. He hardly made eye contact but Muz and I sold him what our vision for the club was then.

“I’m not sure how many other clubs were after him but I know he didn’t want to leave.

“It was up to us to make it as attractive as we could to entice him and that’s what we did.’’

“He was very loyal to the Dogs. His first option was to stay at the Dogs so we tried to make it as enticing as we could to come to our club.

“After hearing what Muz had to say he knew he was going to get an opportunity to play NRL.’’ Thurston’s game has gone from strength to strength at the Cowboys, with his 249 games recently compared with that of Immortal Andrew Johns who retired with 249 NRL games to his name.

Thurston will notch his 250th game this weekend after 14 seasons in the NRL. Picture Adam Gardini

Both won three Dally M medals, two Golden Boot awards and played in two grand finals.

Johns has won two premierships, a Clive Churchill Medal and is the NRL’s highest scorer, while Thurston won a 2004 title as a bench utility but has a better representative record, 31 Tests to 26, 30 Origins to 23 and a record eight-straight series wins with Queensland.

Last week Thurston played his 220th club game for the Cowboys, moving ahead of Aaron Payne (219) on the highest club games list behind Matt Bowen (270).

The Cowboys will mark his 250th game with a special $30 family ticket offer plus 10,000 replica cardboard headgear cut-outs will be given to fans in a special JT promotion.

“It’s worked out better than I think he or I or anyone involved with the club could have expected,” Parr said.

“The same loyalty he had to the Dogs, because I know the Dogs were his first option to stay, but that loyalty has been played out many times since because he has now signed another three contracts with us since then.

“We’re very grateful he decided to come and play football for us and we’re just as thankful that he decided to stick with the club.”

Originally published as Ahead of Johnathan Thurston’s 250th first grade game, general manager Peter Parr pays tribute to late coach Graham Murray