Queensland State of Origin hero, Johnathan Thurston ruled out of remainder of 2017 season

  • Updated
  • 23/06/2017
Johnathan Thurston in action for Queensland in  State of Origin, Game Two in Sydney (Getty)
Johnathan Thurston in action for Queensland in State of Origin, Game Two in Sydney (Getty)

North Queensland Cowboys co-captain Johnathan Thurston is out for the rest of the season and will miss his State of Origin swansong.

Thurston re-injured his shoulder during Queensland's come-from-behind 18-16 win over New South Wales in State of Origin on Wednesday night.

The 34-year old first injured his shoulder during Australia's 30-12 win over New Zealand last month and has struggled ever since.

"Given it was already an injured shoulder, the club and the player decided he had to undergo surgery immediately, effectively ending his season for 2017," Green said.

Thurston said he hoped the injury was just a cork - but scans revealed the worst.

"The news isn't good," Thurston said.    

"And the best decision for myself and the club is to get the op done.     

"I thought I might have been able to pump one or two more games out.

"But the medical advice I've been given is that if I wanted to live a normal life after football, then I had to have the surgery."

 The halfback was expected to play in his 300th NRL match against the Penrith Panthers on Saturday night, but now Thurston will have to wait till next season to join the elite '300 club.'

The injury also rules Thurston out of this years' Rugby League World Cup.

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