Eels Blogs

Is Thurston really worth it?

Posted by Camo73 on January 31, 2010 at 8:35am

http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,26655773-5018866,00.html

The Cowboys are set to offer Johnathan Thurston $700,000 a year over 3 years to try and keep him at the Cowboys. Japanese Rugby has apparently offered him $1.1 mil per season.
I really don't see the point in the Cowboys trying to keep him. Granted, he is the current Australian half back, but for that kind of money they could buy 2-3 good players. Since arriving at the Cowboys he has taken them to a Grand Final and won a stack of individual awards, but what have they really achieved with him there? In 2009 the Cowboys were woeful and I'm not sure this year will be a whole lot better for them.
We showed last year that a 'budget' halves combination can be just as good, if not better than an all star combination if your team is playing well.

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Replies

will swain January 31, 2010 at 9:20am

yeh i agree it is alot of money for one player, plus the cowboys did have a very bad season but it is just not up to thurston to win a premiership every member of the team needs to step up and in the cowboys case many didnt. we know what its like look at inu one year has an awesome season the next an average one.
Plus would our budget halves have been that good without our superstar hayne. every team needs a star we have hayne, mateo, storm has slater, inglis, broncos lockyer, the cowboys other than thurston and bowen when uninjured have no one. When thurston is playing for queensland, australia the cowboys have a very ordinary team where as for us when hayne is out we still have hindy,inu,mateo and now tahu.
Djl January 31, 2010 at 10:23am

yes he is worth 700 grand a year but doesnt mean he should have it, hayne is worth a million a year but cause hes passionate and not greedy he is taking half of that.
Ace Eel January 31, 2010 at 12:25pm

The cowboys can keep him at that price.....leave him there to climb palm trees with willie........we don't need the monkey man.....
- Djl > Ace Eel January 31, 2010 at 1:07pm
  
  haha
Daneel January 31, 2010 at 1:46pm

Interesting question Camo73 - "but what have they really achieved with him there?"
I think the question should be what would they have achieved without him there? With Thurston playing, they are always a chance.
As long as you have the right players around him, Yes, i believe he is worth $700K.
- mello_79 > Daneel February 1, 2010 at 2:46pm
  
  You won't have the right players around him if your sinking that much into one player. I can't see that he is worth that kind of money if you can't afford any other decent players.
Bosanac February 1, 2010 at 2:34pm

He's a very very good player, but the Cowboys are wrong to simply put all the chips on Thurston and hope he can take them to a premiership alone and single-handedly.

There's a difference between building a team around a star, and just having a star and a bunch of crap players around him.
Michael Ericson February 1, 2010 at 4:41pm

He's worth it. Put it this way, if we had thurston last year we would have won the comp.
Mac5733 February 2, 2010 at 10:54am

he hasn't won shit at the cowboys!
he has a 15 minute man at the bulldogs when they won the title in 04!
if thats his nrl highlight, hes not that good!