Thurston is the only remaining member of the Cowboys side of 2005 that went down in the season’s showpiece to the Wests Tigers 30-16. It is too tight to call, and that is exactly the way it should be when the trophy is on the line.
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Looking back to the regular season only confirms how tight the game could be.
By that point, Hunt was already two years removed from his NRL debut and was still languishing on the bench in the unfamiliar role of back-up hooker to former under 20s team-mate Andrew McCullough.
“He doesn’t want that so he will do his utmost to make sure that doesn’t happen”. But like the 32-year-old superstar himself, many fans forget that. This, though, has to be the biggest of his career to date.
The Cowboys bowed out in the preliminary final to Sydney Roosters the next week, but Townsville was now officially on the footballing map. “There were plenty of stars in the team…” Strap yourselves in folks, this will be one hell of a contest.
The Broncos enter the game off the back of their trouncing of an under-performing Roosters side.
Munster was recognised by his peers last month as the best young talent in the game when he was named the Rugby League Players’ Association’s Rookie of the Year.
Cowboys centre O’Neill has been in a real purple patch throughout the Finals. With eight Finals including a Premiership with Melbourne in 2012, his experience will be an added advantage. As the Broncos’ dominant playmaker, his kicking game will have to be spot on because you know Thurston’s will be. The bloke is desperate to be matey with the players but is nothing more than a punish.
The baby faced Milford has been flying in his first ever Finals campaign.
While I at times find him boring and unhelpful to media, Wayne Bennett is an undeniably the best coach in the modern era. Michael Minty runs his eye over the clash.
In one corner, you have the Broncos.
Bennett did not give anything away when quizzed on his winning touch at Thursday’s grand final press conference.
The 2002 and 2006 grand final victor said he was taking things easy in the lead-up to Sunday.
“Anthony had faith in me to play the way I like to play my football and when Wayne came in he sort of felt the same way”, Hunt said. Thrives on the big occasions and will make it his mission to thwart the dominance of Matt Scott in this decider.
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“But Sydney should still host the grand final in my opinion”. His vision and intelligence will be an integral factor for the Cowboys’ on Sunday.
“The Broncos have the jump on the majority of the positional match-ups but the key factor has to be the halves”.
Reporters instead opted to direct questions about the champion coach to his players, who were curious as to whether they should answer them under the glare of their leading man.
But that game – and a few game it was – was at Suncorp, the seat of their power. His lack of metres could also just come down to him biding his time and waiting for his chance.
Each side has a dynamic duo that can split open the opposition.
Gearin didn’t score many tries, but that one became his calling card and still rates up with the best ever seen.
Unsurprisingly, the quartet occupies the first four lines of betting in the Clive Churchill Medal market. He’s never lost in this position before, so that’s a fair indication of his influence at the big dance.
It will be the second milestone for Indigenous players this season after gaining a record representation in the Australian team that played New Zealand in May’s ANZAC Test through the selection of Thurston, Greg Inglis, Sam Thaiday, Greg Bird, Will Chambers and Alex Johnson. A solid defender on his right edge, Lowe has chalked up 26 tackles per Finals game. A real workhorse off the ball, Gillett has averaged 39 tackles in the Finals.
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But much of the sentiment among fans at the ground and watching from elsewhere is expected to be with popular Cowboys co-skipper Thurston, who pulls the strings on North Queensland’s entertaining brand of football. On Sunday there will be live entertainment from 1pm until the NRL grand final starts.
