Johns vs Thurston

[blaza88z]

I think Thurston does things for this game which are invaluable but he also goes on rants after losses that do make him look like a sore loser

Who is better? depends what side of the border you come from

 

[Glen]

It's a bit unfair to compare them now when Thurston is at his peak.

The amazing thing about Thurston to me is his rep career. He has had an amazing run with (lack of) injury and being part of a great Queensland team, but he has been far and away the MVP for Queensland through their dominance. Johns' rep career has been discussed plenty here but injury and poor NSW selections hampered it continually and he still had some great achievements in that area.

Johns was a slightly more complete footballer IMO, a bit stronger in kicking and controlling the game. The biggest knock on Thurston is his defense but at his size it doesn't matter how good his technique is - he will always be a speedbump at times. He goes a long way to making up for it though with massive effort and cover defense

 

[DiegoNT]

It's a bit unfair to compare them now when Thurston is at his peak.

The amazing thing about Thurston to me is his rep career. He has had an amazing run with (lack of) injury and being part of a great Queensland team, but he has been far and away the MVP for Queensland through their dominance. Johns' rep career has been discussed plenty here but injury and poor NSW selections hampered it continually and he still had some great achievements in that area.

Johns was a slightly more complete footballer IMO, a bit stronger in kicking and controlling the game. The biggest knock on Thurston is his defense but at his size it doesn't matter how good his technique is - he will always be a speedbump at times. He goes a long way to making up for it though with massive effort and cover defense

Have to disagree massively with this part.
In the early years it was all Lockyer, Thurston was his offsider. Also a lot of those early success was built on the back of Price and Civonoceva ( which had been carried on through the likes of scott , Hannant, shillington, myles and now mcguire). Inglis, Slater, Hodges have all had their time to shine. Cronk has made quite a few clutch plays over the last few years and it's noticeable when he's not their. Thurston has been just one of those greats during Queenslands dominance but if one player can lau claim to being Queenslands MVP of the last decade then surely it's Cam Smith.
But if Thurston is the mvp of the last decade, it's not by far, it's only just

 

[FAS33]

Have to disagree massively with this part.
In the early years it was all Lockyer, Thurston was his offsider. Also a lot of those early success was built on the back of Price and Civonoceva ( which had been carried on through the likes of scott , Hannant, shillington, myles and now mcguire). Inglis, Slater, Hodges have all had their time to shine. Cronk has made quite a few clutch plays over the last few years and it's noticeable when he's not their. Thurston has been just one of those greats during Queenslands dominance but if one player can lau claim to being Queenslands MVP of the last decade then surely it's Cam Smith.
But if Thurston is the mvp of the last decade, it's not by far, it's only just

What a load of nonsense. PJ Marsh has been the key to Queensland's dominance.

 

[_Johnsy]

Defense, aka 50% of the game.

And he's lightyears better in that department.

But yes, that's it.

JT is well and truly in Joey's ballpark. Both geniuses.

As for Lockyer, don't make me laugh. He's not even in the top 5 players I've seen in the NRL era.

Pretty much spot on.

 

[TheVelourFog]

Johns was a slightly more complete footballer IMO, a bit stronger in kicking and controlling the game.

disagree

 

[Hutty1986]

I think Thurston does things for this game which are invaluable but he also goes on rants after losses that do make him look like a sore loser

Who is better? depends what side of the border you come from

That seems to form a large part of the argument either way.

I think Johns was the better footballer overall, but that run of Origin games JT has put together is nothing short of remarkable. To play 33 (?) Origin games is something only the greats have done (Nate Myles is about to be an exception) but to do that consecutively... wow.

I mean, Qld have the ultimate luxury of having their guns mostly injury-free for a decade and can just copy and paste a winning side every year, but that is just an unbelievable stat.

 

[grouch]

I think Thurston does things for this game which are invaluable but he also goes on rants after losses that do make him look like a sore loser

Who is better? depends what side of the border you come from

Joey was no different, if you're old enough to remember. Massive, massive sook.

I have Johns and Thurston on level pegging. But... JT's career isn't over yet.

 

[Last Week]

Both brett kimmorley and geoff toovey were preferred over johns.

Says it all really.

John had a couple of good games that's it.

He won a couple of spoons too.

Johns couldn't even make the kangaroo number 7 his own. No contest, Thurston every day.

Brett Kenny took the Australian five eight spot off Wally's Lewis a couple of times.

 

[FAS33]

Brett Kenny took the Australian five eight spot off Wally's Lewis a couple of times.

Lewis rates Thurston over himself and Johns.

 

[carcharias]

That seems to form a large part of the argument either way.

I think Johns was the better footballer overall, but that run of Origin games JT has put together is nothing short of remarkable. To play 33 (?) Origin games is something only the greats have done (Nate Myles is about to be an exception) but to do that consecutively... wow.

I mean, Qld have the ultimate luxury of having their guns mostly injury-free for a decade and can just copy and paste a winning side every year, but that is just an unbelievable stat.

Joey came through when taking the best players head off was ok to do.
Thurston has been lucky the last 5 or so years in that respect.
no lifting or shoulder charges or naughty rough tackles where a players hair might get messy.
Games are soft in comparison now.

Johns came back from some huge injuries to be even better than he was.
He invented stuff on the field.
Thurston is just a bloody good footy player with the absolute elite of the game surrounding him.
Even then he only scrapes home a lot of the time.
stick him in a shit team and see how good he is.

 

[Tommy Smith]

I've always looked at it as a compliment to Joey that he was shifted to hooker to accommodate others.

It speaks volumes to what a complete player he was. Here's the greatest halfback of his era, more than capable of mixing it at hooker - in fact completely dominating - in the Origin arena.

As a Roosters fan I disliked Joey and the Knights (but always respected them) because we had a pretty big rivalry back in the day.

But I was always in awe of Joey's ability to turn a bunch of good players into the greatest attacking team of the era. He had a few great players around him like Bedsy, Kennedy and Matt Gidley; but also some absolute mud.

The forward pack was fairly workmanlike minus Kennedy. In fact I'm sure they had a reputation of being their weakness in the big games. And of course Joey also dragged an awful 5/8 to Premiership glory. It scares me to think how good the Knights would have been with the Australian front rowers and Taumalolo in the middle; plus an absolute stud 5/8 like Morgan.

They probably would have won 2-3 Premierships in a row. Which it should be pointed out is what JT might very well be on his way to achieving now.

And that's why I have no issue if someone says JT is now the GOAT. I don't agree but he's certainly worthy of the discussion. But when people were suggesting it two years ago I thought it was flat out ridiculous, yet typical of the hagiography we love to engage in these days with our sports stars.

The ironic sliding doors aspect of this entire argument is that, but for a miracle play by Michael Morgan - the help in the halves that JT needed for his Cowboys team to take the next step from finals also rans to champions - perhaps we'd be calling out JT for choking in a GF, rather than jumping out of our skins to label him the GOAT.

 

[FAS33]

So many If but couldve would'ves on here....lmao

 

[carcharias]

He missed the kick at goal too.
Lucky ben hunt was useless

 

[FAS33]

Thurston missed that goal on purpose. He already knew Ben Hunt would spill his beans when he was lining it up.

 

[Lambretta]

At least your honest bro.

At least his honest bro...... laid an egg? Drove a car? Dated a mongoose? Handed in the wallet he found?

Put me out of my misery and tell me what his honest bro did

The suspense is killing me

 

[FAS33]

At least his honest bro...... laid an egg? Drove a car? Dated a mongoose? Handed in the wallet he found?

Put me out of my misery and tell me what his honest bro did

The suspense is killing me

He cheated on you.

 

[Shorty]

The ironic sliding doors aspect of this entire argument is that, but for a miracle play by Michael Morgan - the help in the halves that JT needed for his Cowboys team to take the next step from finals also rans to champions - perhaps we'd be calling out JT for choking in a GF, rather than jumping out of our skins to label him the GOAT.

I remember reading a lot of butt hurt Broncos fans saying JT did nothing in that last play but he quite clearly draws in half the Broncos team for Morgan to create that amazing try.

I don't think it's fair to compare Joey's 'great defending' with JT's average because Joey was built like a prop and JT honestly should be too small to excel the way he has.
JT does not have the physical gifts that 90% of football players have and so I assume that is why some people rate him higher than Joey.

I think both Newcastle and NQ fans probably can't be taken seriously on this front because what both players have done for their clubs cannot be put into words.

But I think both of them are close to the best in a very long time.

 

[carcharias]

I remember reading a lot of butt hurt Broncos fans saying JT did nothing in that last play but he quite clearly draws in half the Broncos team for Morgan to create that amazing try.

I don't think it's fair to compare Joey's 'great defending' with JT's average because Joey was built like a prop and JT honestly should be too small to excel the way he has.
JT does not have the physical gifts that 90% of football players have and so I assume that is why some people rate him higher than Joey.

I think both Newcastle and NQ fans probably can't be taken seriously on this front because what both players have done for their clubs cannot be put into words.

But I think both of them are close to the best in a very long time.

Joey is bigger so it doesn't count???

Thurston is no midget
Alfie handled it
Toovey handled it

By your theory then we shouldn't compare inglis' attack because he is bigger than every other fullback & 5/8 & centre .
Or Wndell to other wingers
Or Meninga to any other centres

 

[McLovin]

Preston Campbell was better than both of them anyway