Is Johnathan Thurston the GOAT?

[FAS33]

JT's career is far too checkered to be considered the GOAT.

How many seasons did the Cowboys miss the finals altogether? How many were they just making up the numbers?

Compare that to Lockyer who played a pivotal role in seven top four finishes.

Johns and Freddy had similar influences on their sides.

It wasn't like JT was the shining light who made every single game a contest - there were times where his play was so impatient he was hurting his team mates.

His past two seasons have been fantastic, and he's had his moments before then, but is he as consistently brilliant as others? No.

The Cowboys were utter crap at times. But when they were on song they were unbeatable and kicked the Broncos out of many finals. They had harsh calls go against them during finals. But that's Rugby.

I disagree. He's been consistently the best player since 05. usually in the top 5 best players of most NRL seasons since then. The stats say he is the best when it comes to try assist and line break assists. Each stat pivotal in helping his team win games. Most of all he never gives up no matter the scoreline. Lockyer was a great player (one of the all time greats) and was clutch player but even he had his own moments as well. Nobody I've seen play is as consistent as JT. As good as he was but not even Lockyer had JT's current form.

 

[Big Pete]

He's been consistently the best player since 05. usually in the top 5 best players of most NRL seasons since then.

Not in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 or 2013.

The stats say he is the best when it comes to try assist and line break assists.

Which stats? Source?

Most of all he never gives up no matter the scoreline.

Watch more footy before you generalise.

 

[Sproj]

Why are you guys bothering. This poster may have a point, he probably does not but why stoop to his/her level? JT has had an amazing career and all this is doing is just feeding a troll and denegrating a great's career.

 

[Morkel]

Thurston won't be the greatest of all time until he wins a premiership with Shane Perry as his halves partner against a salary-cap-cheating Storm. FAS33 isn't even in the top 50 trolls this site has had, remember everyone, you have the right to use the ignore button.

 

[tommy]

I would take into account that Lockyer never whinged about the refs and never called it a conspiracy when he lost. Also never even went before the judiciary. This makes him the better player and better role model for kids imo.

 

[Renegade]

I don't think he's the GOAT, but I don't think anyone is the GOAT. For mine all you can be is the best player of your generation or thereabouts - Smith, Thurston, Lockyer are all on that best of generation tier, and that's all you can really ask. It's pointless to say he was better than jimmy brown in 1952 because no one was around to see it, and obviously the game has changed so much that whatever they were doing that was considered groundbreaking or untouchable at the time, would probably be seen as a standard move in contemporary times.

He's the best player in the NRL at the moment and has been for some time. Even as an opposition fan (although I'm a Qlder), I have nothing but respect for JT and whenever we're up against him you're always tense because you know he can carve you up in a moments notice. Those that saw Johns in his prime will remember a similar feeling when he would play Brisbane. I don't think the role model stuff should really be taken into account when judging how good someone was on the field, but even so, you can't say JT isn't a good role model, he's always giving away his headgear at halftime, acknowledging the little dudes bringing on the kicking tees, out doing the normal community visits and so on - who cares if he gets upset on the field? You expect him to, he's an elite athlete with a burning desire to win, sometimes emotions overflow in the heat of battle - at least he's never called someone a fucking **** before...

 

[1910]

You don't have to have identical achievements to be better than someone.

Wally captained coached a premiership- Thurston and Lockyer haven't. I am certainly not holding that against those two if you want to debate who is better.

 

[1910]

Are you done yet or what?

To contribute to the thread, no he isn't. Lockyer's 2006 season achievements were/are and probably will be the best by any player ever. And let's be real, Thurston's first premiership isn't something that adds weight to the argument. If Steve Price is fit, JT isn't there.

Also something that hurts(?) a lot of the Locky memories is we had some awful seasons towards the end of his career while the Cowboys' final seasons have caught up to JT's level and are now if anything amplifying his output, thus the constant circle-jerk from media types. Thurston has also been relatively long-term-injury-free, bar his leg in Origin in '11. Lockyer missed the end of '07, first half '08, end of '10 and of course the PF final of '11.

Lockyer also never lost a Grand Final to Benji Marshall

Wally achieved the same thing as Lockyer 06 in 84.

 

[Sproj]

Anyway, we all know the greatest of all time can only be one...



















































































The Great Scott Minto!

Clearly even Lockyer admits it.

 

[Renegade]

Wally achieved the same thing as Lockyer 06 in 84.

didn't Langer also achieve a similar thing in the late 90's? 98 maybe? captained the broncos, qld, and australia to wins?

 

[Nashy]

Anyway, we all know the greatest of all time can only be one...

The Great Scott Minto!

Clearly even Lockyer admits it.

I see no reason why this thread needs to continue. It's clear that this post should end it.

 

[FAS33]

Not in 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 or 2013.



Which stats? Source?



Watch more footy before you generalise.

In 2009, 2012 and 2013 he was in the top 5 players of that season. 2008 he was in top 10.


since 2005 Thurston has laid on 1.18 try assists a game for his teamates.

I've watched enough footy to come to realise JT is the GOAT. But that's my opinion. ;)

 

[FAS33]

Thurston won't be the greatest of all time until he wins a premiership with Shane Perry as his halves partner against a salary-cap-cheating Storm. FAS33 isn't even in the top 50 trolls this site has had, remember everyone, you have the right to use the ignore button.

The broncos team of 2006 had half the QLD Maroons team.

 

[Nashy]

The broncos team of 2006 had half the QLD Maroons team.

Didn't Melbourne have the other half?

 

[Kimlo]

Norm Provan won 10 premierships. Using your argument he is better then Lockyer lol

Captaining a side doesn't mean you're a better player.

I did say the NRL premiership, not the local sydney league or whatever it was back 90 years ago.

 

[Big Pete]

since 2005 Thurston has laid on 1.18 try assists a game for his teamates.

That's fantastic.

You've taken 10 of Lockyer's seasons out of the equation, 11 from Joey and Freddy's entire career - all to quote some stat you likely looked at after the fact.

 

[broncos4life]

That's fantastic.

You've taken 10 of Lockyer's seasons out of the equation, 11 from Joey and Freddy's entire career - all to quote some stat you likely looked at after the fact.

/thread

 

[Battler]

You could put Smith, Locky, or Johns into any team and they'd immediately become good: all three were/are seemingly immune to pressure. JT has proven that he can't do what he does without a decent man next to him in the halves (cows were woeful for long stretches before Morgan, and he and DCE fell apart in the 2014 Origin series). Locky won a premiership with Perry as HB.