I'd dare say that Qld and Australia would have gotten those results regardless with the other talent spread across the side
Club football wise, I just don't think Thurston delivers as much as the scribes say he does, the Cowboys generally start the year poor and have to come home with a wet sail to make the finals. Not saying he isn't a top player at all, just that in terms of what he has done on club football compared to the likes of DCE, Pearce, Cronk etc, he isn't miles ahead of them and without any injury concerns up there at all he has them running near the bottom this year