Johnathan Thurston facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Johnathan Thurston
AM

Personal information
Full name	Johnathan Dean Thurston
Born	(1983-04-25) 25 April 1983 (age 42) Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Playing information
Height	179 cm (5 ft 10+1⁄2 in)
Weight	89 kg (14 st 0 lb)
Position	Halfback, Five-eighth
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 2002–04 Canterbury Bulldogs 29 10 0 0 40 2005–18 North Qld Cowboys 294 80 923 16 2182 Total 323 90 923 16 2222 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 2005–17 Queensland 37 5 99 2 220 2006–17 Australia 38 13 165 0 382 2009 Prime Minister's XIII 1 0 7 0 14 2010–17 Indigenous All Stars 6 1 17 0 38

Johnathan Dean Thurston (born 25 April 1983), also known as "JT," is a retired Australian professional rugby league player. He is thought to be one of the greatest players of all time. Thurston played in the National Rugby League (NRL) as a halfback (halfback) or five-eighth (five-eighth) and was a master goal-kicker.

He played for the Australian Kangaroos, the Queensland Maroons in the State of Origin series, and the Indigenous All Stars. Thurston began his career with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, winning a premiership in 2004. He then moved to the North Queensland Cowboys, where he became a club legend and led them to their first-ever premiership in 2015.

Thurston holds many records. He won the Dally M Medal for the NRL's best player a record four times. He also won the Golden Boot Award for the world's best player three times. After retiring, he became an assistant coach for Queensland.

Early Life and Beginnings

Thurston was born in Brisbane, Queensland. His mother is an Indigenous Australian from the Gunggari people, and his father is a New Zealand Māori with English roots. He started playing rugby league for Souths Sunnybank in Brisbane when he was very young.

When he was a teenager, many clubs thought he was too small to play in the NRL. Despite being a talented player, no one wanted to sign him. His manager, Sam Ayoub, finally convinced the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs to give him a chance in 2001, even though he wasn't paid to play at first.

Playing Career

A Star is Born: The Bulldogs Years (2002–2004)

Thurston made his NRL debut for the Bulldogs in 2002. He was a backup player for the team's main halfbacks, Brent Sherwin and Braith Anasta. In 2004, he was part of the Bulldogs team that won the 2004 NRL Grand Final.

He came off the bench to replace the team's injured captain, Steve Price. As a sign of respect, Thurston gave his premiership ring to Price, who had helped him when he first moved to Sydney. Price later gave Thurston another ring in return. After the 2004 season, Thurston signed with the North Queensland Cowboys.

Becoming a Legend: The Cowboys Era (2005–2018)

Thurston meeting fans in 2007.

Moving to the Cowboys was a huge moment in Thurston's career. He became the team's starting halfback and quickly showed how talented he was.

First Grand Final and Dally M Medal

In his first year with the Cowboys in 2005, Thurston led the team to their first-ever 2005 NRL Grand Final. Although they lost to the Wests Tigers, Thurston's amazing season earned him the Dally M Medal as the best player in the NRL. This was the first of his record four Dally M awards.

State of Origin Dominance

Thurston also made his debut for Queensland in the State of Origin series in 2005. State of Origin is an annual series where the best players from Queensland and New South Wales play against each other.

He was a key player in Queensland's incredible run of eight straight series wins from 2006 to 2013. He played in 36 consecutive Origin games, a record for most games played in a row. He is also the all-time highest point scorer in State of Origin history. In 2008, he won the Wally Lewis Medal as the player of the series.

Winning the Premiership (2015)

Thurston playing for Australia in the 2008 World Cup.

The biggest moment of Thurston's career came in the 2015 NRL Grand Final. As co-captain of the Cowboys, he led his team against the Brisbane Broncos. With only seconds left, the Cowboys scored a try to tie the game. Thurston had a chance to win the game with a kick from the sideline, but it hit the post.

The game went into "golden point" extra time, where the first team to score wins. On the Cowboys' first possession, Thurston kicked a field goal to win the game 17–16. It was the Cowboys' first-ever premiership. Thurston was awarded the Clive Churchill Medal as the best player in the Grand Final.

Final Years and Retirement

Thurston continued to play at a high level, but injuries affected his 2017 season. He injured his shoulder during a State of Origin match, which ended his season and his representative career.

He returned in 2018 for his final season. He played his 300th NRL game in the first round. His last game was against the Gold Coast Titans, where he led the Cowboys to a 30–26 victory.

International Career

Thurston at the 2013 Rugby League World Cup Final.

Thurston had a brilliant career playing for Australia. He made his debut in 2006 and played 38 times for his country. He was part of the team that won the 2013 Rugby League World Cup. In the final against New Zealand, he was named man-of-the-match.

He is the all-time leading point scorer for the Australian national team. He also won the Golden Boot Award three times (2011, 2013, 2015), which is given to the best player in the world.

Life After Football

After retiring in 2018, Thurston started the Johnathan Thurston Academy. The academy helps young Australians get the education and skills they need to find jobs.

In 2024, the National Rugby League announced that Thurston would be added to the National Rugby League Hall of Fame.

Personal Life

Thurston receiving the Human Rights Medal in 2017.

Thurston and his wife, Samantha, have four daughters. He is well-known for his work in the community, especially with Indigenous communities in North Queensland.

He is famous for his on-field habits, like handing his kicking tee to a ball boy or girl after every kick and giving his headgear to a young fan in the crowd after games. For his community work, he was awarded the Human Rights Medal in 2017 and was named Queenslander of the Year.

In 2022, Thurston had a voice role in an episode of the popular Australian children's show Bluey. He played a commentator in an episode about a State of Origin match.

Major Awards and Records

Thurston has won many awards. Here are some of the most important ones:

• Dally M Medal (NRL Player of the Year): 4 times (2005, 2007, 2014, 2015) - Most ever
• Golden Boot (World Player of the Year): 3 times (2011, 2013, 2015) - Most ever
• Clive Churchill Medal (Grand Final Man of the Match): 2015
• Wally Lewis Medal (State of Origin Player of the Series): 2008
• Premiership Winner: 2004 (with Bulldogs), 2015 (with Cowboys)
• World Cup Winner: 2013 (with Australia)

Records

• Most career points for Australia (382)
• Most career points in State of Origin (220)
• Most consecutive games in State of Origin (36)

Images for kids

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  Thurston (front) and Greg Inglis training with Queensland in 2009.

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  Thurston warming up for the Kangaroos in London in 2016.

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  Thurston warming up for Australia at Anfield in 2016.