<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> As of 21 November 2016 Source: </Td> </Tr> <P> Johnathan Dean Thurston (born 25 April 1983) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer and captain of the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League . During his professional NRL career he has frequently been cited as rugby league's best player and quite arguably the greatest player to ever play the game . Thurston is an Australian international, Queensland State of Origin and Indigenous All Stars representative halfback, five - eighth and goal - kicker . In 2015 he became the first ever four - time Dally M Medallist for the NRL season's best player, and later that year became the first ever three - time winner of the Golden Boot Award for the World's best player . </P> <P> Johnathan Thurston started his career at the Canterbury - Bankstown Bulldogs in 2002, where he won the 2004 NRL premiership, before moving to the North Queensland Cowboys in 2005, playing in that year's grand final . In that year, he made his debut for Queensland, before making his Australian debut in 2006 . He was the 2008 Wally Lewis medalist for State of Origin player of the series . Also in 2008, he was named as halfback of the Australian Aboriginal team of the century . Thurston was the only player to play in all 24 games of Queensland's eight - year State of Origin winning streak from 2006, having played 36 consecutive Origin matches to date since his debut in 2005 . Thurston broke the record for most points in State of Origin history during the 2015 State of Origin Series . Also in 2015, Thurston co-captained the North Queensland Cowboys, along with team mate Matt Scott, to their inaugural NRL Premiership . He was also the 2015 Clive Churchill Medallist for Grand Final man of the match . In the 2015 NRL Grand Final Thurston captained the team leading them to victory against the Brisbane Broncos . </P> <P> Born on 25 April 1983 in Brisbane, Queensland, to a Gunggari (Indigenous Australian) mother and a New Zealand - born father . Thurston began playing rugby league at a very young age for Souths Sunnybank RLFC in Brisbane's southside . At 12 years of age Thurston signed a scholarship deal with the South Queensland Crushers . Later during his youth he moved to Toowoomba where he attended St. Mary's College, playing rugby league for the school and the Toowoomba Rugby League's All Whites club . Although a stand - out player at school and club level at 18 years of age, none of the National Rugby League clubs were willing to sign the Queenslander with many citing his small size as a problem . According to Thurston's manager, Sam Ayoub, a number of the clubs were not even willing to take him for free . Only St George Illawarra Dragons coach Nathan Brown was willing to sign him because he was going to play for nothing . Ultimately, Ayoub negotiated with the Canterbury - Bankstown Bulldogs to sign him as he had promised Thurston's mother he would keep an eye on him, and Belmore (the Bulldogs' home ground) was closer to where he lived . The Bulldogs eventually signed Thurston in the 2001 NRL season for' nil playing fee' . Once Thurston had the opportunity he was selected for the Queensland U-19 side that year . </P>

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