The guessing game over Johnathan Thurston's fitness might be drawn out until at least Sunday but the recovering playmaker does not think it is unfair to make back-up Anthony Milford sweat on his State of Origin debut.
"If I was his age and had the opportunity to train and spend a week with the calibre of players in that team, I would be licking my lips," Thurston said.
Brisbane's Milford was named as No.6 for next Wednesday night's series opener in Brisbane but Thurston had been given until kickoff to overcome a shoulder injury suffered in the trans-Tasman Test.
Thurston looks set to know if he can play a 37th straight Origin after a Sunday contact session at the Maroons' Gold Coast camp.
"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't a chance of playing," Thurston said.
"Some injuries, you can push through but the type of injury I have got you need to be 100 per cent to play.
"On Sunday, I will lock in some contact maybe if it is feeling good and see how we go."
Thurston did not believe drawing out speculation over his fitness would be a distraction for Milford.
"I have been given until before kickoff but there are a lot of training sessions to get through before then," he said.
"For Milf's sake, he probably needs to know as well so he can prepare like he is playing.
"I had a chat to him about it and he is in a good head space."
Asked if it was unfair to make Milford sweat on an Origin debut, Thurston said: "It (Queensland camp) is a wonderful environment to learn and better yourself.
"You walk away from it feeling bulletproof.
"Whether he plays or not, his game will go to another level."
Milford's Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett threatened not to release his playmaker if the 22-year-old was named as a Maroons reserve for game one.
But Thurston believed Bennett would reap the benefits when Milford returned.
"He (Bennett) had his coach's hat on. The Broncos have a game to win this weekend (against the Warriors) so I understand where Wayne is coming from," he said of Bennett's stance.
"For Milf, one of the benefits he will get out of this week will far outweigh what he will get with a week at the Broncos."
Thurston admitted he faced an agonising decision ahead of game one.
This Origin series marks his last after confirming he will retire from representative football at season's end.
"The risk is I tear it completely and that is the season," Thurston said.
"It's a big decision to make. There's still a lot of football to be played this year.
"But the shoulder is getting better every day.
"Both Kevvie (Queensland coach Kevin Walters) and I will have the final say but the team will come first."
Thurston backed Milford to step up in his absence.
"I have no worries about that at all," he said.
"He is an exciting talent and we have some more old heads that can get the team around the park and he can play off the back of that."
Share
