JT’s Just Tremendous

If anyone has been told “you’re not good enough” or “you’ll never make it”, well you’re not alone. Johnathan Thurston was told those exact words but look at where he is today. Everyone has a story and JT tells his story in his new book– “Johnathan Thurston – The Autobiography”. Grab a copy today! 

To be honest, I never really been a huge Johnathan Thurston fan. Yes, he’s a legend. A future immortal and potentially the best halfback of the modern era, but I never been a JT “super fan”. Until now! Maybe I wasn’t a super fan because I never got to appreciate who he really was as a person or because of the rivalry between Queensland and New South Wales, whatever the reason, my opinion of him has changed.

What made me change my mind, you say?

JT’s autobiography – “Johnathan Thurston – The Autobiography” by James Phelps. That’s what changed my mind.

Before reading this book, I thought Johnathan was just your typical footballer who loved the game since he could talk and walk and dominated in everything he did related to footy. JT wasn’t the stereotypical footballer I thought he was and I discovered the real JT after reading his book.

JT’s story is a tale of hardship, heroism and heartache. It wasn’t an easy ride for the future immortal. He too had setbacks both in his professional and personal life, but the Queenslander picked himself up, dusted himself off and started from scratch, each and every time. Look where he is today. A champion of the modern era. A future immortal. The 2017 Queenslander of the Year. That says it all really.

Hardship

Johnathan’s hardship began from the moment he was born. Thurston wasn’t born into a wealthy family, living in an upper-class area. He was born into a financially strict household where he shared a bedroom with his brother, Shane, so he knew how difficult life can be from a very young age. At age 18, JT was knocked back by NRL scouts because it was told he was “too small”. He was also told “you’ll never make it” because of his height and muscularity, even though he dominated at school and club level, no one wanted him. Thurston even considered walking away from the game. Sam Ayoub (JT’s manager) came along and signed Johnathan and resurrected JT’s potential NRL career. Johnathan also suffered setbacks through injury. A broken leg saw Thurston miss a year at the Bulldogs and numerous shoulder injuries saw the Queenslander miss time away from the game when he was at the Cowboys. JT’s time at the Bulldogs wasn’t all unicorns and fairies. A salary cap saga and a poor club culture resulted in booze, parties, a sex scandal allegation and an arrest for the young JT. More setbacks. Thurston even played in the U20’s for rivals, the NSW Blues, during his time at the Bulldogs. Johnathan’s hardship tells us that sometimes you got to go through the bad times and do the dirty work that you don’t want to do before you get to live out your dream.

Heroism

Johnathan Thurston is a hero for many. A role model for current and future generations. He is adored by thousands maybe even millions. Can you blame them? He’s a legend. Despite his setbacks, the injuries, the allegations, he continued to work is backside off to in order to get the job done. Every time he got knock down, he it got back up and worked his way up to the top. Whatever it took, JT did it. All of this hard work set Thurston up for the future. His dream of playing in the Maroon jersey was granted due to his bravery and work ethic. Johnathan achieved a call up to represent his state and play alongside his best mate and former junior’s teammate, Cameron Smith. He also got the opportunity to play alongside mates, Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk. Thurston also got the call up for the Australian Kangaroos side and got the opportunity to travel the world with his teammates representing his country, playing alongside his heroes Darren Lockyer and Andrew Johns. JT finally got the contract he had been waiting for and he truly deserved, a deal with the North Queensland Cowboys. There he made the No.7 jersey his own. Thurston had the great pleasure of representing his culture when selected for the inaugural Indigenous All-Stars team against the NRL All-Stars in 2010. This is what heroes a made of - blood, sweat and tears. JT will forever be a legend, a hero in the eyes of millions.

Heartache

Like an everyday person, Johnathon so to had his fair share of personal heartache. In 2008, Thurston discovered he had lost a beloved Uncle due to a brutal assault by a group of men. JT and his partner, Samantha, struggled to start their family with the pair doing whatever it took to begin their journey of parenthood. Due to her age, Samantha turned to IVF but unfortunately had two miscarriages until 2013, when Sam fell pregnant with their first child, a daughter, Frankie Louise Thurston. In 2015, their second daughter arrived, Charlie Grace Thurston and in 2017, their third daughter arrived, Lillie Rose Thurston. Last year, JT and his partner discovered that their fourth child was on the way. In February 2019, their fourth daughter arrived, Remie Lee Thurston. Despite the heartache, the miscarriages and the tears, four little miracles came along and brightened up the lives of the Thurston family.

I would totally recommend reading this book, whether you’re a JT fan or not, you must read it. I wasn’t the biggest Johnathan Thurston fan but this book opened up my mind to believe that this bloke isn’t just a hard, tough, rough footballer, he is human. JT is a legend on and off the field. He is a potential future immortal and he continues to bless viewers with his presence by joining the Channel 9 commentary team. He also contributes his time to charity and community events.

There’s nothing else left to say except JT, we thank you, we love you and we salute you!

Thank you for reading this blog. I know everyone has their own opinions and this blog is based on my own opinion. You may agree with what I wrote but you may not. Please respect what I have written. I am interested to hear from you all and share your opinions by heading to my Instagram - @a.t.f.w_bylucy and leave a comment or join the chat by hitting the 'Let's Chat!' icon in the bottom left-handed corner. Also, don’t forget to hit that heart button!

Thank you!

Lucy xx