Johnathan Thurston defiant over Cowboys’ NRL season and targets Tigers’ scalp
AFTER the 26-20 Bathurst boilover against Penrith, a defiant Johnathan Thurston has hit out at suggestions North Queensland are a spent force.
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JOHNATHAN Thurston has warned NRL rivals to write-off North Queensland at their peril, insisting their premiership campaign remains intact if they are hungry enough to win another title.
The retiring Thurston will fight to the bitter end and challenged his troops to back-up their 26-20 Bathurst boilover against Penrith with victory against the Wests Tigers on Thursday at Leichhardt Oval.
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Rated premiership favourites in pre-season, the Cowboys have sensationally crashed into the NRL cellar, sparking fears they cannot recover from a 3-6 record to reach the playoffs.
But a defiant Thurston hit out at suggestions the Cowboys are a spent force, adamant the 2015 premiers can build ominous momentum by disposing of the plucky Tigers on the road.
“The spirit is back,” the four-time Dally M winner said as he savoured a gutsy defeat of the Penrith club that unsuccessfully tried to poach him five years ago.
“I haven’t exactly looked at the ladder but this is a step in the right direction for us. I’m really proud of how we competed — we’re not done yet.
“The challenge for us now is to back that win up and be better in the areas we need to be.
“It’s a massive relief getting the win, it’s been few and far between.
“We haven’t been too far off in games, it was just a few silly errors that put us under the pump.
“With the team we have got and the standards we drive, we can fight back. It’s important we go on with it now.”
The Cowboys’ third triumph of the season still leaves them in the bottom five, two wins adrift of the top eight.
While North Queensland coach Paul Green has no interest in finals talk, he shot down suggestions the Cowboys are too far behind the eight ball to resurrect their season.
“There is a lot of footy left to be played in this competition,” he said.
“You string a few wins together and you pretty quickly climb up the ladder. You string a few losses together and you quickly fall down the ladder.
“(The Penrith win) was great, it gives us a lot of confidence. We’re aware there is stuff to get better at and that’s the challenge for us, to keep improving.
“Finals football is the furthest thing from my mind and the team’s mind. But we’re far from worried about whether there is enough footy yet ... I know there is a long way to go in this comp.”
Defence is attitude and the Cowboys’ line-speed against Penrith was fast and energetic. It convinced Thurston the squad is hungry to rebuild their season — starting against the Tigers.
“We showed a bit of resolve (against Penrith),” he said. “We were really tested, that’s what has been missing the last few weeks, when we have been put under the pump, we have cracked.
“It was good to see the boys respond.”
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