New Cowboys CEO wants to secure Johnathan Thurston’s future at the club

CLINCHING a future at the Cowboys for Johnathan Thurston is a priority for the club’s new chief executive, Greg Tonner.

PROSERPINE, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 30: Johnathan Thurston poses for a photo with a young fan during the Queensland Maroons State of Origin fan day on June 30, 2015 in Proserpine, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

CLINCHING a future at the Cowboys for Johnathan Thurston is a priority for the club’s new chief executive.

Greg Tonner, an information technology and telecoms executive who started last week as Cowboys CEO, has Thurston’s future towards the end of his playing career and in retirement prominently placed on his to-do pile.

Thurston will be 34 when his contract ends in 2017 and said last month he had spoken with coach Paul Green about whether he would play one more year in 2018.

New Cowboys chief executive Greg Tonner. Picture: Shae Beplate.

The greatest Cowboys player said he had more interest in retirement in being a coaching consultant rather than a coaching staff member at one club, but Tonagh wants to keep the champion playmaker in Townsville.

“Johnathan is very much part of this club and working out the right plan for him is definitely a priority for all of us I believe,’’ Tonner told The Courier-Mail.

“Working out Johnathan’s future and how continues his services or we work with him in his post-playing career is on the agenda. He willingly gives his time in our community and that’s why he’s respected in the region.’’

Tonagh joins the Cowboys well into a process where chairman Laurence Lancini and outgoing CEO Peter Jourdain have been trying to get Townsville’s proposed multi-sports stadium near the CBD over the line.

Jourdain said in May that the stadium, projected initially to open in 2020, could not now be completed before 2021 because of delays in the process of working with levels of government.

Asked how the State Government’s $30 million pledge for a Brisbane netball centre lined up with its $100 million contribution ceiling for Townsville’s sports stadium, Tonner said: “All governments are trying to be fair to everybody. We have to work with them to take that message that it (the Townsville stadium) is the right thing for the state.

“Our chairman has been involved in it (with) local, state and federal (governments). The long-term strategy of the club is important, to have those facilities and what comes around a stadium. It will also support all of north Queensland.’’

An advantage for Tonner of serving out four months with Optus in Sydney is that he was able to meet often with senior NRL staff, who have not been able in the past to allay suspicions in north Queensland that the Cowboys are not getting fair treatment.

Johnathan Thurston congratulates Jake Granville of the Cowboys after scoring a try.

“I have found the NRL very keen to try to support us and I continue to work on lifting their awareness (of the issues important to the Cowboys,’’ he said.

“The NRL is a growing, evolving business like us. The focus for us as a club to continually keep high levels of communication with the officials.’’

Townsville-raised, Tonner has worked in cities including Brisbane, London and Sydney for companies as diverse as Coopers and Lybrand, Walt Disney and Optus.

“I have a finance background and I will have a strong financial focus on growing the club. I want our brand to be seen nationwide,’’ he said.

“The rest of the world is digitalising. In north Queensland, we have been challenged by distances. With the new technologies coming we can reach the rest of Australia and the world.

“The focus at the start for me is to get across the region and meet our members and stakeholders and sponsors.’’