Lockyer v Thurston

[typicalfan]

If I was picking a side I'd select Lockyer before Thurston as he could play in more than one position more than him being a better player.

Thurston though is a bit of a dying breed of halfback sad that there are so few with the instincts of the game.

I think Lockyer always well as a support player too. When he was not the main man, he was as good as any, always backing up on the inside.

 

[Knight Vision]

Also you can add in that the more recent player is always talked up by the media as being better.

indeed. It could be argued that Thurston was no better ( or not as good ) as Mortimer, Sterling, Kenny, Stuart, Dalley, Fitler, Langer were in their day.

Excellent player but he choked too much.
Especially when under pressure

This made me LOL .....Yep sure did, 30 seconds to go in a GF and choked ....oh no wait that was Thurston ....The one thing Joey didnt ever do was choke under pressure.... on that subject neither did Lockyer....Thurston on the other hand? numerous times.

 

[THE CHAMP]

indeed. It could be argued that Thurston was no better ( or not as good ) as Mortimer, Sterling, Kenny, Stuart, Dalley, Fitler, Langer were in their day.

This made me LOL .....Yep sure did, 30 seconds to go in a GF and choked ....oh no wait that was Thurston ....The one thing Joey didnt ever do was choke under pressure.... on that subject neither did Lockyer....Thurston on the other hand? numerous times.

Maybe you’ve blocked out what filter did to him in the finals twice then what Lockyer did to him in the 06 finals. Check them out.

 

[King hit]

Maybe you’ve blocked out what filter did to him in the finals twice then what Lockyer did to him in the 06 finals. Check them out.

Johns smashed Fittler up in the 2001 finals. All of those great players dominated each other at one time or another

 

[blaza88z]

I haven't read the previous 7 pages of "that bloke from my club" but I know one thing, you'd take either of them on any given day.

 

[THE CHAMP]

Thurston has the best passing game ive ever seen I’ll give him that

 

[lockyno1]

Lockyer not even close.

Was the best in two completely different positions.

Thurston and Johns is very close though

 

[Vee]

Lockyer not even close.

Was the best in two completely different positions.

Thurston and Johns is very close though

Except that Johns could tackle in the front line.

 

[lockyno1]

Except that Johns could tackle in the front line.

Thurstons defence wasn’t awful. Both have positives and negatives. Honestly wouldn’t know who I’d pick.

 

[Mr Angry]

Except that Johns could tackle in the front line.

And was very slow, can you show me a try from 70m out?

Hey I love Joey, but everyone seems to forget he was very slow.

Lightning quick between the ears on field.

7. Johns 6. Fittler 1. Lockyer

sadly never seen.

Thurston would be on the bench maybe.

 

[blaza88z]

It became a meme but the best thing about Thurston's game was his competitiveness, he would compete on every play, he would often be the bloke ankle tapping someone.

 

[Big Pete]

It became a meme but the best thing about Thurston's game was his competitiveness, he would compete on every play, he would often be the bloke ankle tapping someone.

Absolutely, one of the first plays that JT produced at Origin level was a try-saver.

And was very slow, can you show me a try from 70m out?

Hey I love Joey, but everyone seems to forget he was very slow.

Lightning quick between the ears on field.

7. Johns 6. Fittler 1. Lockyer

sadly never seen.

Thurston would be on the bench maybe.

You're not wrong on the 1-6-7, all three played in the same team but Fittler would either play 13 or Johns would be the hooker.

Johns wasn't as quick as either player, but he wasn't a slouch either. He was fantastic at taking on the A defenders and finding space behind the ruck, I would be shocked if he didn't score a long distance try at some point.

Even Wally managed one during his NSWRL playing days.

 

[gUt]

People forget Lockyer's cover defense at fullback was sensational

 

[Tommy Smith]

And was very slow, can you show me a try from 70m out?

Hey I love Joey, but everyone seems to forget he was very slow.

Lightning quick between the ears on field.

7. Johns 6. Fittler 1. Lockyer

sadly never seen.

Thurston would be on the bench maybe.

How many tries do halves score from 70m out? I could probably count how many I've seen in my lifetime on one hand.

What matters is how devastating they are taking the line on in the attacking zone. And Johns is by far the most devastating halfback in that terrain that I've ever seen. He was lethal from 10m out.

Fittler similarly leaves all other 5/8s I've seen for dead in this department. His step and power when taking on the line leaves Lockyer in his wake.

JT scored 91 tries from 323 club games. Joey scored 80 in 249; which over 323 games would project as 103.

Now I'd hazard a guess that the majority of Joey's tries were from taking on the line, where he had a massive edge. Where as the majority of JTs would have been in support, where he also had a big edge over Joey.

 

[typicalfan]

And was very slow, can you show me a try from 70m out?

Hey I love Joey, but everyone seems to forget he was very slow.

Lightning quick between the ears on field.

7. Johns 6. Fittler 1. Lockyer

sadly never seen.

Thurston would be on the bench maybe.

Not really his go though is it. He was a stronger runner though than Lockyer or Thurston, he could pull through the line like a backrower and pop a ball, that was almost a trademark.

Anyone remember the try in origin in 2000 when he touched the ball 3 times in the lead up to a try.

 

[mongoose]

People forget Lockyer's cover defense at fullback was sensational

Lockyer running it on the last tackle was unbelievable, that was his big play at fullback. The defense rushing up on him to pressure the kick and he would just slide around them and set up a try. He did it ALL the time.

 

[THE CHAMP]

Except that Johns could tackle in the front line.

I remember a 35 year old Allan langer beating him on the outside in an origin game once.

 

[TheDalek079]

JT. The ultimate halves player

 

[Mr Spock!]

Which ones the worst commentator?

A draw.

They're both terrible.

 

[mozza91]

Lockyer for mine. Elite at all levels but a class above for Queensland and Australia. You’d hardly notice Thurston in half of the Origins he played and was pretty inconsistent at club level in the middle part of his career.

Johns is well ahead of both of them though.