In my opinion, the two greatest halves in rugby league history. Which player do you feel had the better career. Keeping in mind JT's isn't over yet. Like us on Facebook: Pure NRL
I'm fan of QLD but Andrews John is best player I've ever seen. He is so different to other nsw players in our game today. Thanks joey for all the memories in the nrl
Andrew Johns is the most complete player in the Rugby Leauge history, there was no weakness in his game, plus he played in a tougher era where he’s shear talent outshined big names like Alfie Langer, Ricky Stuart, Laurie Daley etc and lets be honest, you have to be pretty good to out shine those big names of the 90,s, I’d go back in time for the sole purpose to watch Joey play all over again.
@@bigdaddy4294 99 when he won the golden boot. Plus if they'd of been in at their prime when joey was it wouldn't of been close joey wipes the floor with them both.
@@dalewilson9602 they were all at the end of their careers by 99, Alf retired that year, Daley last year, rep footy on one leg, Stuart injury riddled, fact is Joey had to wait for them to go to Super League and then retire so he could shine, there is no getting around it so deal with it. If Joeys is so great, he had his chance in 93,94,95,96 to win a premiership or Rothmans Medal or Dally M Medal in a combined competition against all those legends, but he didnt, couldnt even beat the worst QLD team of all time in 95 when all super league players were banned from playing. Joey also played hooker or 5/8 when Alf played halfback for Australia, its in the record books, look it up.
Compare both their stats at 249 games (the amount that Johns played). Johns had more try assists, more line breaks, more line break assists, more 40/20’s, more field goals, more total career points, higher club winning percentage. It’s no contest that Johns is better. Achieved more in a shorter time frame
Both great players but you look at the way Andrew Johns changed the way a halfback plays, an example being that of the 'banana kick'. The argument can be made that Thurston is perfecting the way Johns shaped halfback play.
Dan Selmes 'Banana Kick' belongs to Stacy Jones. If your talking about the goal kick, then that belongs to Hazem, and Thurston is better at it. Alfie Langer made a bigger impact as revolutinizing the half back role than Johns, Johns spent most of his rep/test footy coming off the bench or playing at hooker. Thurston has been better than Johns for years now, Sterling and Matty Johns have admitted it. Dally Messenger said Thurston is the GOAT and Phil Gould hates to admit it. Gould says Thurston is one premiership away before he can look at the two but that's ridiculous. Thurston's accolades trumps Johns and he has dominated an era. His career is not over, if Origin truly is the pinnacle of the Rugby League than Thurston is the new crown king after Wally Lewis. I don't see why Johns is NSW golden boy when he wasn't even at the level of Laurie Daley in his prime (In his prime was the best player on the planet), and Brett Kenny who was the only player to best Wally Lewis in Origin when they traded wins. Heck, Fitler held down his test spot and rep spot constantly for years and they claim Johns is the best. Johns highlight reel in Origin is outshadowed as he has the 2005 comeback and the moment where he got knocked the f out, oh he was playing hooker at the time.
A Rig sorry got it wrong* 'Dally Messenger III' in his opinion (credible) along with majority of RL fans think Hayne was given the award joint so it would tarnish Thurston's 3rd Dally M so it's no on par with Druggie Johns 3 Dally M's. Thurston is the clear runner this year for sure but they'll be hoping Broncos stay on top or they will hype Benji (Dragons) and Pearce (Roosters) to make sure it won't happen. Eels didn't even make finals footy. And Hayne and alot of cold games when it mattered the most, most known one when they made a big "Hayne Train" promo where there was a free train painted with Eels colors right to the game for fans and they got smashed!
to add, if you check the dally m red carpet (full) and the interviews afterwards, even the players said Thurston deserved it and no joint Dally M (interviews after)
A Rig Dally Messenger the third (III) it's cool, my point still stands. i corrected a minor error and now you don't understand. go watch dally m 2014 red carpet interviews (full) and you will understand.
I agree, both great players. But those rooting for Thurston are more often than not QLD fans. This is so much more than origin. This is about Johns' brilliant defensive reads and even harder hits. Something Thurston had never been able to replicate. His ability to land the ball each and every time on a five cent piece. Banana kick or no. His ability to know each and every player on his outside and inside, and hit them on the chest. The fact that his very few mistakes made the commentators comment every single time that they're amazed he was human (those guys watch every game). His ability to destroy a scrum defence and smile as he did it. JT is the best player in league, now, but will never have the completeness that Johns did.
Andrew Johns changed the way a halfback plays the game. Kids are taught to play like him if they are a playmaker. In saying that though I do think JT is the better player, perfecting a lot of what Andrew Johns did but also adding too it as well. But it's nearly impossible to decide who is the better player between them. Johns is more successful at club level while JT has surpassed him at rep level. I think people take the argument too seriously though. There's a lot of bias between NSW and QLD and it just turns into petty insult based dialogue
13dirty666 . Thurston doesn't have johns skill. Johns could step through a defensive line. Thurston relies on the defence to be dumb enough to fall for a dummy and go. You don't watch the game very closely. Do ya.
No right on mate, they have essentially the same skill set but use it differently. Johns was physically better, stronger. So it was easier for him in defense and ball running. JT is the smallest bloke on the field so he has to think ahead and use his skills more off-handedly
Well Lockyer came out today in an article about his chances of being the next immortal and admitted johns is the best he's ever played with. Says something about Thurston, while a very good player footys a game of two halves and Thurston can't defend whilst johns can. Johns the greatest for sure.
Thurston not even close to Johns's skill level. Lived in both there home team towns and watched them both closely. To make a line break thurston relied on the defence to be dumb enough to fall for a dummy and go, Johns could step through a fully set defensive line without barely a hand on him. Massive difference in skill level.
Everyone saying JT perfected AJs skill.They are totally different player's.with totally different mindsets.They evolved as the game has.both legends.there is no comparism .both have given this game a massive boost and should be respected for it.On the street i would give both these guys a massive thumbs up.
I dont like people comparing them, JT is more personally successful but he became one of the greatest by modelling himself off joey johns, Johns created the style that is played through the modern game
Hayden Comyns Check out the superstars that Andrew Johns had to play against and compete with in NRL and origin during his prime compared with during Thurston’s prime. Fitler, Daley, Meninga, Clyde, Mullins, Renouf, Langer, Ricky Stuart, Geoff Tuvey, Andrew Ettingshousan, Menzies, Pau Harrigan, Anthony Mundine, Wendle Sailer, Sonny Bill Williams before he went to Rugby etc etc I’m a shit speller so I know I’ve forgotten how to spell half of them but you get the idea. There’s no way Braith Anasta or Robby Farrah would have gotten in the Australian or origin team during Andrew Johns’s prime with those players there.
joey is to rugby like michael jordan is to basketball. he is an immortal. a freak of a player that can carry a team on his back. thurston however needs good players around him and cant create offense the way joey did.
Joey was the first to do the banana kick, the spiraling torpedo kickoff and was a freakishly talented player. He was the bench mark that all halves wanted to be. Thurston is great player and a good guy of the game, he may hand the kicking tee back to the ballboy and give his head gear to the kids at the end of the game but he is not in the same league as Johns. Johns would beat teams on his own, scoring all the points and go to an even higher level playing Rep footy, he would dump Thurston on his head and school him in the game of Rugby League. Johns career was cut short by injury as his points scoring record would have been one of legend and may never have been beaten. He was picked ahead of many truly great players as the 8th IMORTAL, says it all really.....!
Never a true word spoken about john's in comment but Thurston always gave us NSW a headaches, both of them a master-class career...cheers to both of them.what a game
Joey, changed the game, much stronger, awesome tackler, step, left and right, spiral passes left and right before the line, could break the line, pass after the line, dummy passes, short and long kicking game, all style of kicks, field goals, goal kicks!! I personally don't compare them. Although I am fan of Thurston's playing !
You can't really outright say one is better than the other. For starters cocaine doesn't impact on john's playing ability (as a benefit), yes it does improve alertness but it also screws with your coordination. But as a net effect taking cocaine, considering the actual side effects, would actually make John's worse off. Secondly, you're comparing them at different times where the game was different. John's had less time to work with and had to be strong to break tackles, which he was great at. While Thurston is more spritely and can create space with his running game. Also consider their roles, Johns was a trailblazer and Thurston in this video was using some of things that Johns actually invented. So you could say that Johns wrote the book and Thurston perfected it. Also at the time the players weren't as fit as they are today, meaning that Johns would have benefited from better strength and conditioning but would also have to play against fitter and stronger players, so we don't really know how that would have affected things. One thing I'd say is important when considering their worth as player is defence. While Thurston isn't a renowned poor defender, Johns beats him on job description. Johns was picked as 9 for both Australia and NSW meaning that he could be relied upon in the middle with the big boys running at him. Thurston is tough but he couldn't handle David Klemmer running at him. So when making your mind up you do have to put certain values upon defence v attack and tackle breaking ability v running game. All of these are going to be different from person to person. I'm a devout Novocastrian so I think Johns was better. Regardless of what I just wrote.
05 2nd game , John's schooled JT, Darren Lockyer , Cameron Smith and Billy Slater .. I believe this game made certain Queensland players realise this it what it takes to be a Legend ...
Johno Hill watch 2003 origin and while you’re at it watch 96, 97, or 2000. Johns dominated all those games. Thurston has never once dominated an origin game the way Joey did in 2005
Joey 4 sure he set the benchmark on how halfbacks should play Thurston Cronk etc took over when he retired both good players but John’s for sure I dare say we will be comparing Nathan Cleary to these chaos when he finishes his career
joey had a fairy tale carrier tbh, he didn't played much games as Thurston is due to chronic injuries, thurston is trying hard to beat joeys records by trying to play above his age, thurston is a great player, joey is an immortal
It's important to note how the game in general has changed a lot since Johns hey day. Players are on average larger and faster than in Johns era, being a smaller playmaker in this day and age is more difficult than it use to be, you can't shrug tackles like you used to.
The problem with this comparison is that it becomes a silly competition between NSW and QLD rather than looking at the players. They were both great players, JT is about to be an immortal as well. Kings of their age.
Thuston learned from Johns and refined what he does. You'll notice there were no highlights of their defensive efforts cos Johns could tackle while 90% of the time Thurston is a turnstile.
@MANCHESTER UNITED what the fuck? Your comment has nothing to do with the original comment. By the way, soccer may be loved by every country on earth, as is oil, so does that make Saudi Arabia the greatest country on earth. Your logic is debunked by your own argument.
Thurston…Great halfback? Yes. Great footy brain? Yes. Great kicker? Yes. Better than A. Johns? Not even close. Johns predictive play, revolutionary techniques and vision passing/line breaking is still unequalled. Dominated games at every level and was voted by his peers and the footy scholars as probably the best anyone has ever seen.
Nearly every person born in John's ea will say Johns and same goes for thurston i believe Andrew Johns shaped and revolutionized the way half backs play and thurston is playing just as great as johns (even beating some records) but without a doubt both these great players are in the top elite players to eve play rugby league and thurston will one day join johns as an immortal
+Silent Killz I watched both play. I said 5 years ago, JT is the best half I´ve seen play the game and would be the next immortal. Now he´s led his team to a premiership, there are calls to make him one and now pundits are considering him the greatest.
The Bpulse Listen to his confession, he did all the drugs off season - cocaine, go watch Budearus "perfect partners" segment, "they" and the crowd laugh it off like it's a big joke when it ain't. And in his original confession, he said and i quote, "Took it before every game, it made me feel like superman". Typical racist NSW buggy eye, crooked long nose, no chin, small mouth fat bastards!
Took coke before EVERY game. Don't think so pal, must be shit knowing your proud state is named after a 90 year old powerless women who sits in a chair all day
Joey's passing game can not be fucked with. Short, long, your mums house, it didn't matter. Wish the video had more examples. Hard to split them though. Johns had a dominant voice and was better at organising, running plays and singling out weaknesses in the defensive line
Both incredible players and deserve every bit of credit they get, but Andrew Johns simply had more x factor and spark then JT, he could defend better aswell, the facts don't lie, anyone who says JT is better are definitely Qld biased, regardless for me Joey takes the cake, just imagine what else Johns could've achieved in his career if it wasn't cut short
Andrew Johns - 249 games, 80 tries, 917 goals, 22 field goals, 2176 points J.T. - 292 games, 85 tries, 820 goals, 15 field goals, 1995 points 43 extra games, only 5 more tries, 97 less goals, 7 less field goals and 181 less points. I honestly think J.T is the better goal kicker technique and accuracy wise (just an opinion) but Johns had the better running game, MUCH better defense, better vision, better kicking game, better passing and he played with weaker teams than Thurston did. Even though Thurstons rep record is arguably better, you put J.T in the NSW origin team 2006-2016, Queensland still win 10/11 series. Any half would look good in that team. It's not even a contest between the two. Johns hands down.
So you didn’t expect those guys with a lot more experience to start ? Also keep in mind that a lot of players Johns was up against were at their peak where as Thurston was playing against them when they were older while some of the other greats had retired. In John’s era Australia could smash any team including NZ easilly where as later they actually got beaten by NZ a couple of times and otherwise closer scores. Did you not watch John’s come back in origin 2 in 2005 after his major injury ? He was unstoppable!
People always bring up Johns winning a premiership, saying he carried his team. It's as though people don't realise there were 9 Australian reps in the GF team. What Thurston does week in week out is better. He's surpassed him a few years a ago I reckon. Also as a competitor there is no match.
Are you really that dumb e did it twice yes he had all those rep players but still stood out as the best ever in that group of player , he was the best in the early 90s and the best ever in structured play , he has the record of 2000 odd points in only 249 games no one will ever catch that , Thurston might be skillful but Andrew johns created those skills for Thurston to even try , plus johns was the best defense half anyone can recall
Honestly there's no point even having this debate with you because it's clear you think Thurston is a piece of dog shit compared to Johns. So honestly bro, don't worry about it hey.
+Teo Grehan I love Thurston, but honestly, look at how the knights performed whenever Andrew Johns was injured. They won the spoon in 2005, and when he came back in 06' they finished top 4, and that 06' didn't have as much talent as they've had in recent years.
Thurston beat Johns to win the Dally M in 06. The closest tally since, rightly so. For Matty Johns to come out and say that Thurston has surpassed him says it all. Some arm chair expert messaged into the Matty Johns show and said what would you know. Matty responded "I shared a bunk bed with him." Which says it all.
Teo Grehan He may have won fairly, but for Johns to even be in that conversation for a 4th Dally M is amazing in its own right. Coming off a neck injury 03', an acl injury in 04' and a broken jaw in 05', you would think the man would be no where near dally m form.
Andrew johns was the best before the wrestle in open field play early 90s and was the greatest ever in structured play in the 2000s had to adapt his game and was the best defensive back anyone had seen , Thurston is good but never changed his game , his a module of johns unfortunaly every half is with the way they kick to passing everything he changed an era of NRL , not many have done that , and he has the record for points and only played 240 and thirsting atill playing so says a lot
As a proud Sharks supporter who would generally pick my Sharks boys 1 to 17 for any rep team,I must say that Andrew Johns is the best player who has ever played A CONTACT SPORT FULL STOP! P.S. Thurston is a legend 100%, but, on a scale from 1 to Joey,he is a no holds barred 8.
Love them both but when they both played opposite each other,Joey always had the upper hand. He was more freakish and more of an impact player.-IMO!.Gotta give it to Joey by a whisker.
Both quality players in their own right. Joey for me just because he was won everything you could and he hes 2 Premierships where he was dominant in victory. JT has more SOO but who cares not everyone contests that and he has 1 Premiership where he only got a game due to Steve Price being injured + Joey could tackle well #8th Immortal wins
Emanuel Huiarangi State of Origin is the pinnacle of Rugby League, hence why, Wally Lewis is regarded the best player of all time - 'The King'. Johns was in a start studded team that had no excuses to lose. Lockyear played huge parts in Brisbane's run as winning the most 'NRL' titles and he won more SOO's and even higher accolades in Test footy but nope! NSWRL Hierachy says Johns is the best, afterall, it's NSWRL owned.
^ no Lockyer didn't he one a premiership as a half , less origins against each other so that's crap , Thurston never played in the tough era and didn't shape the game to be played the way halves do , walls Lewis and Andrews johns is a real debate on who's better Thurston and Lockyer have no place near them too In 249 games johns scored 2190 points or something , thurstons only just past half way and Lockyer was no where near Ask Wayne Bennett he said johns will always be known as the greatest rugby league player ever
+Emanuel Huiarangi 1 Premiership was during the SuperLeague war when Johns played in a weakened comp . And they got belted the following year by the real Premiers, the Broncos. JT just led his team to a premiership so you can call them even now??
Johns had to play against so many superstars at their peak like Daily, Fitler, Clyde, Ettingshausan, Menzies, Wishart, Langer, Stuart, Mullins, Meninga, Harrigan etc etc.
They are both wonderful players. Comparing them is ridiculous. Both played a different style of football. Look at the stats, each won 2 GF's, both played origin and Australia. It really doesn't matter how many babes they played, we were lucky to see then play.
ferrarifxx08 Other than the 2005 Origin series when did Johns ever school Locky or JT? I remember Lockyer schooling Johns in Semi Final once, pretty sure it was 2006 and the Broncos won 50-0
Where did you pull that far fetched theory from? Im pretty sure Johns never once schooled Locky, Johns was a halfback, Locky played most of his career at fullback and then when Locky moved to five eighth he was the best in the game. They would rarely have come into much one on one contact. Remember in those days, if you wanted to get to Lockyer you had to get through Tonie Carroll and Brad Thorn first. Good luck!
I agree with you, Micheal Cuddy. Joey Johns did it with drugs. If he didn't, he would have been the best half back without cheating. Otherwise, JT is proving to be the best now.
Anyone who thinks Jt is better than Joey never seen Joey play. Johns use to belt forwards in defence. Jt use to defend on the wing, but still a great player.
Jonathan Thurston was a champion player and a pleasure to watch play. But Andrew Johns was a God. A total level above. Only the likes of Wally Lewis, Cameron Smith and Ellery Hanley are on that God level with him in my lifetime
The great players are great because they do amazing things without the need of chemical stimulus. Thurston plays the game with so much heart that he inspires those around him and as recently shown can still win an origin game injured but still willing to compete. We know Johns was good but so was Lance Armstrong.
CaptainChurrr Rubbish, when he was off it was either because he was a rooky/early days compared to the more experienced starters or when he was injured or they wanted both players on the team and Johns could play both positions well. Johns played against players at their peak while Thurston played against some of the same players when they were old and retiring soon. Also look at how much better the Australian side was in the Johns era compared to New zealand during the Thurston era and also didn’t have ex origin players going to Union like you do these days.
CaptainChurrr what dog shit. He played more games at halfback than anywhere else. Thurston has never once dominated an origin game the way Joey did in 2005
You've got to be joking to say that? Saying Johns is better is fine but to say he is better than the other 2 best players of all time is a bit far fetch'd.
Stupidest comment i have ever heard, lockyer changed the way fullbacks and five eights play the game, won multiple dally m medals in both positions as well and played well over 50 games for his country the most by any player iam fairly sure, thurston won four dally ms, won multiple dally ms in different positions and is the first ever player too win 3 golden boots plus he played something like 36 consecutive games for qld, and what jt did with not only the indigenous community but the whole of the rugby league community is incredible, lockyer and thurston are in my opinion two of the best halves and the best halves combination we have ever seen, they will both be immortals in the near future
The trouble with picking the best of the two is the split between nsw and qld. A good stat would be how many people from nsw would give the nod to Thurston and how many from qld give it to Johns. This video does justice to johns but Thurstons highlight reel could’ve been selected a lot better.
Cameron Hubbard they could’ve made a seperate highlight video on defence alone for Joey but definitely couldn’t do that with Thurston. Joey is the GOAT
Johnathon Thurston hands down was the better. Thurston was the better player was the better organizer, was the one who was always in the right place, won more games, awards, actually played in his position when selected for Australia (Johns most of his games for Australia was either off the bench or as number 9 - so he wasn't even the number 1 pick in his era). Thurston gave up a premiership ring to his captain Steve Price in the Bulldogs grand final cause he couldn't play due to injury - was the first kicker who always picked up the kicking tee every-time to hand to the ball boy, & gave his headgear away to young fans (both supporters and opposition fans) - what was Johns legacy - he was a drug cheat - who was the better role-model.
all thurston has on johns is his dummy and goalkicking everything else theyre on par i believe except johns was a much better defender and hit like a backrower. they cancel each other out.
Jonathan Thurston is the greatest player of a time anyone who don't say he is dont know rugby league. Thurston beats johns on all plat forms. Andrew johns was surrounded by 9 internationals in his knights teams plus it was a weaker competition when johns won it the first time. people always say Thurston can't tackle idk why he's a solid defender explains his shoulder injurys he might not put big shots on but he throws he's body on the line. players are bigger stronger and faster now fitter johns would be tested I doubt his body would be able to go on with the way he defended in today's league. johns always had questions around him came of the bench for NSW played hooker. got beat By kimmorley for rep starting spots. Thurston has always been the dominate half he's been the best since he started fulltime after the dogs. best players ever list 1. Jonathan Thurston 2. Greg inglis people forget this man he is underrated highest try scorer in origin took South's to a premship won one playing 5/8 with the storm 3. Andrew johns 4. Wally lewis 5. cameron smith 6. cliffy Lyons 7. mal meninga
