The thought of injury derailing his State of Origin swansong is devastating but Johnathan Thurston is adamant it won't prompt him to play on in the representative arena next season.
Queensland's Origin title defence suffered a mighty blow when the champion playmaker was ruled out of Wednesday night's series opener at Suncorp Stadium after failing to overcome a shoulder complaint, ending his record 36-match Origin streak since his debut in 2005.
And the inspirational pivot is no certainty to be fit for game two at ANZ Stadium in Sydney on June 21.
"Fingers crossed I will be back before then," Thurston said of game two.
"There's no surgery planned at this stage.
"I'm devastated but hopefully it is only a couple of more weeks."
Thurston on Thursday sounded like a man who was also considering the prospect of missing the entire series.
"If I don't play another Origin game it will be devastating, but the memories are something I will cherish," he said.
However, the three-time Golden Boot winner said the injury setback had not given him second thoughts about drawing the curtain on his stellar representative career at the end of the year.
"My decision around the representative arena is final - I am at peace with the decision I made," Thurston said.
Thurston's shock withdrawal opens the door for Brisbane's Anthony Milford to make his Origin debut for Queensland in game one.
Thurston, 34, had a blessed Origin run, playing in every game of the Maroons' 10 series wins in the last 12 years.
But after playing 36 straight, Thurston is in danger of missing two in a row in his final Origin series.
Queensland made the surprise call on Thurston barely 24 hours after the playmaker declared he would know more about his fitness after Sunday's contact session.
Maroons medical staff moved quickly after scan results following testing on the shoulder on Wednesday confirmed Thurston's worst fears.
"I spoke to the doc after the results from tests last night weren't good enough - I was devastated," Thurston said.P
"I didn't want to believe it until this morning - I had the worst sleep last night.
"But I am sort of relieved that the doc has taken it out of my hands because I was keen on playing."
Thurston will remain in camp to help Milford.
"I spoke to him (Milford) last night. He can now have that clarity and start preparing," Thurston said.
Milford will slot into a Queensland outfit also without stalwarts Matt Scott (knee), Corey Parker (retired), Billy Slater (overlooked) and Greg Inglis (knee).
He will link in the halves with veteran No.7 Cooper Cronk, who will line up for Origin No.20 on Wednesday night.
"It wasn't exactly a great surprise," Cronk said of Thurston's setback.
"It was always going to be a long shot.
"Johnathan Thurston has been front and centre of what Queensland has done for the last 30-odd games ... so we need to pick up the slack but there will be no excuses."
Cronk warned NSW to underrate the new-look Maroons team at their peril.
"There is still a lot of talent and self belief in this team," he said.
"Just go back through history, Queensland haven't had the best list of players on paper but they have had the effort and that is what Origin is about."
Gold Coast prop Jarrod Wallace is new Maroons 18th man.
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