The JT era – 14 Cowboys seasons

JOHNATHAN Thurston’s most defining Cowboys moments over the past 14 seasons in pictures.

2005: Few could have predicted the immediate impact a 21-year-old Thurston would make in his first season in Townsville. <br/>Signed from the Bulldogs, it wasn’t long before JT established himself as a young superstar, guiding the Cowboys to their maiden grand final against Wests Tigers. <br/>While North Queensland fell short in the decider, Thurston still made his State of Origin debut for Queensland and won the first of four Dally M medals.

1/142005: Few could have predicted the immediate impact a 21-year-old Thurston would make in his first season in Townsville.
Signed from the Bulldogs, it wasn’t long before JT established himself as a young superstar, guiding the Cowboys to their maiden grand final against Wests Tigers.
While North Queensland fell short in the decider, Thurston still made his State of Origin debut for Queensland and won the first of four Dally M medals.

2006: The Cowboys looked set to cruise into the finals after they won their first six games of the year, including a 36-4 first round win over the Broncos in Brisbane where he scored 24 points. <br/>But after Thurston dislocated his knee in round 20, the Cowboys lost four of their next five games in his absence, and narrowly missed out on the semis in ninth place. <br/>He also made his debut for Australia in a 50-12 demolition of New Zealand in May.

2/142006: The Cowboys looked set to cruise into the finals after they won their first six games of the year, including a 36-4 first round win over the Broncos in Brisbane where he scored 24 points.
But after Thurston dislocated his knee in round 20, the Cowboys lost four of their next five games in his absence, and narrowly missed out on the semis in ninth place.
He also made his debut for Australia in a 50-12 demolition of New Zealand in May.

2007: At the tender age of just 23, Thurston was appointed captain of the Cowboys entering his third season following the retirement of Travis Norton. <br/>The Cowboys bounced back from a disappointing previous season by qualifying for the preliminary final stage, where they fell to Manly. <br/>Thurston was again crowned the NRL’s best player with a second Dally M medal in three years.

3/142007: At the tender age of just 23, Thurston was appointed captain of the Cowboys entering his third season following the retirement of Travis Norton.
The Cowboys bounced back from a disappointing previous season by qualifying for the preliminary final stage, where they fell to Manly.
Thurston was again crowned the NRL’s best player with a second Dally M medal in three years.

2008: After Thurston had double shoulder surgery during the off season, the Cowboys had a forgettable year where they lost a record 15 straight games in the middle part of the season. <br/>Although he was awarded the Wally Lewis Medal as the State of Origin player of the series in Queensland’s win, the year ended in more disappointment when Australia were upset by New Zealand in the World Cup final.

4/142008: After Thurston had double shoulder surgery during the off season, the Cowboys had a forgettable year where they lost a record 15 straight games in the middle part of the season.
Although he was awarded the Wally Lewis Medal as the State of Origin player of the series in Queensland’s win, the year ended in more disappointment when Australia were upset by New Zealand in the World Cup final.

2009: Although the Cowboys more than doubled their win tally from the previous season to 11, they still missed the finals in 12th spot. <br/>His 100th game for the Cowboys in round 17, a 24-4 home win over Cronulla, was one of the better highlights for Thurston.

5/142009: Although the Cowboys more than doubled their win tally from the previous season to 11, they still missed the finals in 12th spot.
His 100th game for the Cowboys in round 17, a 24-4 home win over Cronulla, was one of the better highlights for Thurston.

2010: After winning just five games all year, the Cowboys were only spared the wooden spoon after the Melbourne Storm was stripped of all their premiership points for serious salary cap breaches. <br/>A noted trail blazer for indigenous causes, Thurston capped one of the proudest moments of his career when he was named man of the match in the Indigenous All Stars’ inaugural win over the NRL All Stars.

6/142010: After winning just five games all year, the Cowboys were only spared the wooden spoon after the Melbourne Storm was stripped of all their premiership points for serious salary cap breaches.
A noted trail blazer for indigenous causes, Thurston capped one of the proudest moments of his career when he was named man of the match in the Indigenous All Stars’ inaugural win over the NRL All Stars.

2011: After a difficult 2010 featuring a couple of minor off-field misdemeanours, Matt Scott was appointed co-captain alongside JT to help ease the load. <br/>The Cowboys had an improved season by making the first week of finals, despite Thurston missing a few weeks with a knee injury he suffered in Origin.<br/>Thurston won the first of three Golden Boot awards, given to the standout player in the world.

7/142011: After a difficult 2010 featuring a couple of minor off-field misdemeanours, Matt Scott was appointed co-captain alongside JT to help ease the load.
The Cowboys had an improved season by making the first week of finals, despite Thurston missing a few weeks with a knee injury he suffered in Origin.
Thurston won the first of three Golden Boot awards, given to the standout player in the world.

2012: Thurston took off from where he left off in 2011, eventually winning the Dally M five-eighth of the year.<br/>He also notched up his 150th NRL game, played against the Melbourne Storm at 1300SMILES Stadium in a clash the Cowboy lost 42-18.<br/>In a season featuring a seventh consecutive State of Origin series win, and a victory for Australia over New Zealand in the Anzac Test, Thurston was at his brilliant best.<br/>But the year came to a shuddering halt when the Cowboys were knocked out of week two of the NRL finals, thanks to a play now known forever as the ‘Hand of Foran.’

8/142012: Thurston took off from where he left off in 2011, eventually winning the Dally M five-eighth of the year.
He also notched up his 150th NRL game, played against the Melbourne Storm at 1300SMILES Stadium in a clash the Cowboy lost 42-18.
In a season featuring a seventh consecutive State of Origin series win, and a victory for Australia over New Zealand in the Anzac Test, Thurston was at his brilliant best.
But the year came to a shuddering halt when the Cowboys were knocked out of week two of the NRL finals, thanks to a play now known forever as the ‘Hand of Foran.’

2013: North Queensland held its collective breath as Thurston pondered his next career move, with the Penrith Panthers offering Thurston big bucks to play at the foot of the Blue Mountains.<br/>But Thurston turned down the offer and re-signed with North Queensland, inking a four-year deal that was the richest in rugby league history.<br/>Leading the Cowboys into the finals on the back of a six-game winning streak, the Cowboys were again undone by a refeering blunder in week one of finals when Cronulla scored their opening try from a seven-tackle set.<br/>The Sharks won the game 20-18, and Thurston was furious during post-game interviews, claiming a conspiracy in the NRL of wanting an all Sydney decider.

9/142013: North Queensland held its collective breath as Thurston pondered his next career move, with the Penrith Panthers offering Thurston big bucks to play at the foot of the Blue Mountains.
But Thurston turned down the offer and re-signed with North Queensland, inking a four-year deal that was the richest in rugby league history.
Leading the Cowboys into the finals on the back of a six-game winning streak, the Cowboys were again undone by a refeering blunder in week one of finals when Cronulla scored their opening try from a seven-tackle set.
The Sharks won the game 20-18, and Thurston was furious during post-game interviews, claiming a conspiracy in the NRL of wanting an all Sydney decider.

2014: The season was yet to begin when Thurston received his first trophy of 2014: another Golden Boot Award.<br/>It was Thurston’s second Golden Boot in three years, and in a year featuring his 200th NRL game for the Cowboys and becoming topscorer in State of Origin, Thurston played arguably the best football of his career to date.<br/>The season was also notable for Thurston’s switch from five-eighth to halfback for the first time since 2012, a move he made following the Origin series, and he has stayed at No.7 ever since.<br/>Another controversial finals’ exit followed, this time against the Roosters, but Thurston capped off the year with his third Dally M medal, which he shared with Jarryd Hayne.

10/142014: The season was yet to begin when Thurston received his first trophy of 2014: another Golden Boot Award.
It was Thurston’s second Golden Boot in three years, and in a year featuring his 200th NRL game for the Cowboys and becoming topscorer in State of Origin, Thurston played arguably the best football of his career to date.
The season was also notable for Thurston’s switch from five-eighth to halfback for the first time since 2012, a move he made following the Origin series, and he has stayed at No.7 ever since.
Another controversial finals’ exit followed, this time against the Roosters, but Thurston capped off the year with his third Dally M medal, which he shared with Jarryd Hayne.

2015: Unquestionably the pinnacle season of Thurston’s career. <br/>After 11 years of trying, he finally led the Cowboys to their promised land - a maiden premiership -in the most dramatic fashion imaginable.<br/>After playing a vital role in Kyle Feldt’s match-levelling try on the full-time siren against Brisbane in the grand final, Thurston calmly slotted a golden point field goal to seal the deal. <br/>He also won the Clive Churchill Medal as grand final man of the match, as well as another Dally M and Golden Boot for good measure.

11/142015: Unquestionably the pinnacle season of Thurston’s career.
After 11 years of trying, he finally led the Cowboys to their promised land - a maiden premiership -in the most dramatic fashion imaginable.
After playing a vital role in Kyle Feldt’s match-levelling try on the full-time siren against Brisbane in the grand final, Thurston calmly slotted a golden point field goal to seal the deal.
He also won the Clive Churchill Medal as grand final man of the match, as well as another Dally M and Golden Boot for good measure.

2016: The Cowboys were a major chance to defend their title, but a extra time epic against Brisbane in the second week of the finals drained them of gas. <br/>A Thurston inside ball to put Michael Morgan over for a try separated the two sides in a 26-20 thriller in Townsville. <br/>However, the Cowboys ran out of puff in the preliminary final against Cronulla, where they were shut out 14-0.

12/142016: The Cowboys were a major chance to defend their title, but a extra time epic against Brisbane in the second week of the finals drained them of gas.
A Thurston inside ball to put Michael Morgan over for a try separated the two sides in a 26-20 thriller in Townsville.
However, the Cowboys ran out of puff in the preliminary final against Cronulla, where they were shut out 14-0.

2017: The footy gods don’t always smile on you. <br/>Unfortunately Thurston discovered that firsthand when a shoulder injury suffered in Origin II ruled him out for the rest of the season. <br/>His conversion from out wide which won that game to level the series will go down as one of his finest moments. <br/>The Cowboys made a miracle surge from eighth to the grand final, but Thurston could only watch on as the Storm steamrolled them to another premiership.

13/142017: The footy gods don’t always smile on you.
Unfortunately Thurston discovered that firsthand when a shoulder injury suffered in Origin II ruled him out for the rest of the season.
His conversion from out wide which won that game to level the series will go down as one of his finest moments.
The Cowboys made a miracle surge from eighth to the grand final, but Thurston could only watch on as the Storm steamrolled them to another premiership.

2018: Every champion doesn’t get a fairytale send off. <br/>Touted as premiership favourites before the year began, the Cowboys simply never found their mojo in their attempts to send JT out on a high. <br/>Despite doubters questioning whether he’d gone a year too long, Thurston still leads the NRL in try assists (22) and and line break assists (24).

14/142018: Every champion doesn’t get a fairytale send off.
Touted as premiership favourites before the year began, the Cowboys simply never found their mojo in their attempts to send JT out on a high.
Despite doubters questioning whether he’d gone a year too long, Thurston still leads the NRL in try assists (22) and and line break assists (24).

Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/national/the-jt-era-14-cowboys-season/image-gallery/94762e9f572adf229df245f8f6aff1df

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