Why rugby league legend Johnathan Thurston should be next Immortal

With the next rugby league Immortal set to be announced in August, we reveal why former Brothers star Johnathan Thurston should be the next NRL great bestowed with the honour.

Cameron Smith headlines a list of league legends in the race to be crowned rugby league’s new Immortal next month.

Smith is in the running after recent rule changes mean players now only needing to be retired for three years to be considered for entry into the Hall of Fame which is a prerequisite for Immortal consideration.

The Melbourne Storm, Queensland and Australia star is a hotly tipped favourite to be the next Immortal but this masthead is making the case for former Brothers player Johnathan Thurston.

The NRL premiership winner and Origin legend openly recognises his time at St Mary’s Toowoomba and Brothers as the turning point in his life.

Johnathan Thurston holds the trophy in front of Cowboys fans after the 2015 NRL Grand Final between the Brisbane Broncos and North Queensland Cowboys. Pic Brett Costello

Western Clydesdales CEO Shane Sullivan expressed his support for both Darren Lockyer and Johnathan Thurston as potential future Immortals and believed if either of those players were named the next Immortal, it would provide a massive boost for rugby league in the region.

“It would be fantastic, those two names are synonymous with rugby league and with Queensland Rugby League,” Sullivan said.

“To have a more recent Immortal based out of the region would be fantastic and just that reminder that no matter where you come from in the South West that you can still make it.

“We’re seeing some great players at the moment coming through and playing in the NRL and going overseas as well that are from the local region.

“You combine that with having an Immortal from the South West, I think that would just be icing on the cake for the hard work that everyone has done in rugby league over the years.”

Western Clydesdales CEO Shane Sullivan. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Sullivan said if Thurston was recognised, it would help elevate the Toowoomba Rugby League community.

“It would be just recognition for what the TRL did for his career,” he said.

“I think it’s probably a little understated in the fact that he wasn’t everyone’s first pick and he used the TRL as a launch pad and showed exactly what he could do before he got down to Canterbury.

“I think it’s important and it just shows that the pathway is there and no matter who you are and no matter what selectors and scouts think of you as a young kid, there’s still always an opportunity for you to come through and make rugby league a career and a success and be that role model for the young kids in the future.”

With Roma now a key piece of the Western Clydesdales’ development pathway, Sullivan was excited for what a Lockyer Immortality would do for rugby league in the South West.

“It would be fantastic for the town, he always remembers where he came from so I think that would be fantastic and would be a big boost for rugby league in that region as well,” he said.

“Certainly they’re a strong heartland and important to us in our future as well.

Johnathan Thurston and Darren Lockyer in 2010. Picture: Peter Wallis

“There’s plenty of young kids coming through Roma at the moment and we’ll see some more come through when we have our trials in September for our Cyril Connell and Mal Meninga teams next year and we’re really excited for that region and what that would mean to them.

“They’ve got Arthur Beetson but you throw in Darren Lockyer as an Immortal, I think that would be fantastic.”

Brothers Rugby League Club president John Butler is a massive Johnathan Thurston fan.

Thurston’s achievements on the field and his influence in the rugby league and wider community off the field rank him among league’s true legends.

Butler however is torn when it comes to deciding if Thurston should be the next Immortal.

“He’s fantastic player - one of the best to play the game,” Butler said.

Johnathan Thurston at the 2024 Queensland Maroons State of Origin fan day at Toowoomba Sports Ground. Photo: Albert Perez/Getty Images.

“What he achieved on the field was amazing and what he has done for the game off the field and his influence in Indigenous and other communities has to be talked about as well.

“I don’t know if he should be the next Immortal.

“He definitely should be an Immortal one day, he deserves it, but there are some many amazing players, other legends of the game who deserve it as well.

“We love him here at Brothers and would love to see him named as an Immortal but who should be the next one is a really hard call to make there are so many worthy recipients.”