Johnathan Thurston engineers comeback win in final game for Cowboys over Gold Coast Titans

HE may not be getting the fairytale but Johnathan Thurston’s rugby league farewell followed the script with the retiring master engineering a come-from-behind win for his Cowboys.

HE may not be getting the fairytale but Johnathan Thurston’s rugby league farewell has followed the script, with the retiring master engineering a 30-26 come-from-behind win for his Cowboys in front of an adoring Gold Coast crowd.

A season-record 26,681 fans packed into Cbus Super Stadium for the match, although any illusions that Titans had that the masses were there to support them disappeared when Ash Taylor was roundly booed while making a penalty attempt early in the second half.

The Titans had been determined to ruin Thurston’s farewell to finish a disappointing season on a high.

And it seemed as though they would rain on the Cowboys’ parade as they set up a 12-point halftime lead.

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Johnathan Thurston of the Cowboys celebrates a try by teammate Gavin Cooper during the Round 25 NRL match between the Gold Coast Titans and the North Queensland Cowboys at Cbus Super Stadium. Photo: Getty Images

But the Cowboys edged their way back into the game, with Thurston calling — and making — the shots.

An attacking master throughout his career, it was two one-on-one tackles from Thurston that will make the highlight reel.

His hits on Ryan James and Ash Taylor forced the ball from the Titans’ grasp on both occasions, with his front-on effort on front-rower James one of the greatest efforts of his career.

The Titans clung to a two-point lead in the dying stages of the game but on cue, Thurston found longtime sidekick Gavin Cooper with a chip kick that put the Cowboys into the lead for the first time in the match.

Flyer Gideon Gela-Mosby then sealed the win with an intercept try inside the final 10 minutes and while the Titans refused to give in, scoring two minutes from time, they could not conjure a miracle.

“It’s been a pleasure,” Thurston said.

“I’m happy it happened and I’ve enjoyed every moment of it.

“There’ been some ups and there’s been some downs but I can’t think the game of rugby league enough for what it’s given me.”

The Titans finish the season with an 8-16 record, a disappointment given they missed the finals but they again showed enough to suggest to their fans that there is light on the horizon in 2019.

Kane Elgey of the Titans (centre) celebrates with Keegan Hipgrave (third right) and other teammates after scoring a try during the Round 25 NRL match between the Gold Coast Titans and the North Queensland Cowboys at Cbus Super Stadium. Photo: AAP

Gold Coast had been determined to ruin Thurston’s party and they were good to their word early, scoring the opening two tries and sprinting to a 12-0 lead within 16 minutes.

AJ Brimson again showed his talent, scoring the Titans’ opening try, while in his final game for the Titans, Kane Elgey grubbered through and dived on his kick to score.

Brimson has been a revelation for the Gold Coast in the back half of the season and while it is unfair to compare the youngster with expectation, he has showed glimpses of the ability of retiring greats Billy Slater and Johnathan Thurston in the past fortnight.

Elgey, who will don the Manly jersey from next season, showed flashes of brilliance — and the potential that saw the Cowboys show interest in poaching the half almost two years ago.

The Cowboys hit back in the 34th minute, reaching out to score but when Mitch Rein dived over from dummy-half and Ash Taylor converted, the Titans had restored a 12-point buffer at halftime.

The Cowboys were first to score after the break though — Ben Hampton’s try coming after an attacking kick from Thurston and the master slotted the sideline conversion to keep his side within reach.

Keegan Hipgrave of the Titans is tackled during the round 25 NRL match between the Gold Coast Titans and the North Queensland Cowboys at Cbus Super Stadium. Photo: Getty Images

Taylor pushed the margin out to eight points soon after when he converted a penalty attempt amid a chorus of boos at his home ground.

But Hampton’s second try set up a thrilling finish, with nothing able to stop Thurston from one final victory in his 323rd NRL match.

An attacking master throughout his career, it was two one-on-one tackles from Thurston that will make the highlight reel.

His hits on Ryan James and Ash Taylor forced the ball from the Titans’ grasp on both occasions, with his front-on effort on front-rower James one of the greatest hits of his career, giving his reconstructed shoulders a workout as he lifted the 106kg prop from the ground in a textbook effort.

A pinpoint crosskick for flyer Gideon Gela-Mosby late in the first half showed Thurston has lost little of his attacking brilliance though and he set up Hampton’s second try and the four-pointer that handed Cooper another try-scoring record.

Given his glittering career in the No. 7 jersey, Thurston was set to be farewelled with a standing ovation in the seventh minute of the match.

Johnathan Thurston of the Cowboys in action during the round 25 NRL match between the Gold Coast Titans and the North Queensland Cowboys at Cbus Super Stadium on September 1, 2018 in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris. Photo: Getty Images

And while fans followed through, he was standing behind his own tryline after Brimson scored for the Titans.

The Titans’ effort was one of their best but they will be bitterly disappointed with letting the Cowboys back into the game.

The efforts of the Gold Coast though should be enough to win some of the crowd back next season as they continue their quest to build into a genuine competition force.