Indigenous All Stars skipper Johnathan Thurston wants Darren Lockyer's vacant representative number six jumper, with next year's season-opener the first step in what he hopes is a permanent move to five-eighth.
Thurston - last month crowned the best player in the game - is keen to walk away from the half-back position he has dominated the past few seasons.
He claims Lockyer's retirement following last month's victorious Four Nations triumph presents the perfect opportunity to make the shift - as he looks to fill Lockyer's boots for both Queensland and Australia.
And he does not want to stop there - saying he has already spoken to North Queensland coach Neil Henry about making the move for the Cowboys as well.
"I've made no secret that I want to play six - I'm very familiar with that role, I played it all through my juniors, I moved to the Bulldogs as a six, I made my debut there, the Cowboys recruited me as a six," Thurston said.
"Number seven, you're on the ball a lot more.
"Playing alongside Locky so much - he likes to sit out the back and get the ball when he's ready.
"That's what I'd like to do as well."
Thurston's first shot back at five-eighth will be alongside new Parramatta half-back Chris Sandow, who will be looking to make a big first impression on his representative debut.
Yet another Queenslander, the inclusion of Sandow highlights the depth the Maroons have in the halves - with Indigenous All Stars bench player Scott Prince and Test squad members Cooper Cronk and Daly Cherry-Evans also amongst their ranks.
Cronk remains favoured to line up alongside Thurston for next year's State of Origin opener, but as Indigenous All Stars coach Laurie Daley noted, the game will give Sandow a chance to stake his claim.
"That's the opportunity that this game provides - you look at Josh Dugan last year - he stood out and all of a sudden he's being spoken about as an Origin prospect," Daley said.
"If Chris and JT all of a sudden click and they play well, it certainly wouldn't harm their chances."
Sandow, one of five new faces in the Indigenous All Stars side named on Wednesday, admits he has let himself dream of an Origin call-up.
But the former South Sydney playmaker is not getting too far ahead of himself, with his primary focus being to enjoy the build-up to the February 4 clash with the NRL All Stars before his first game for the Eels.
Thurston - who claimed Cronk deserved to be at the front of the queue for both Queensland and Australia - admitted Sandow did present an intriguing option for Maroons selectors.
"He does bring that unpredictability to any team," he said.
"He could certainly fit into that (Maroons bench utility) role, either play a bit of nine, get him out of dummy-half, or play a bit of seven."
AAP
Tags: nrl, rugby-league, sport, townsville-4810, qld, australia First posted December 07, 2011 19:34:10
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