North Queensland coach Paul Green has lauded Johnathan Thurston’s ability to shelve the emotion around his impending retirement as the side finished an otherwise disappointing season with a flourish.

Thurston signed off in his 323rd and final NRL game by piloting the Cowboys from a 18-6 half-time deficit to a 30-26 victory on the Gold Coast.

It followed a rousing win in his Townsville farewell last Friday to give the retiring great the send off Green said he deserved after a frustrating start to the season saw them drop out of the finals hunt.

“His ability to focus on him doing his job,” said Green, when asked what had most impressed him most about Thurston during the last few weeks.

“I’m not happy with where we finished, but we stuck together, we were copping criticism from all sorts of areas.

“That’s the ultimate test of your culture and team spirit.

“There’s no manual for that but we’ve managed to keep things together.”

Thurston said he hadn’t allowed himself to think about life after football, instead giving all his energy to what had proved a humbling farewell tour.

“For myself it’s just been about enjoying what’s here,” he said.

“It’s always been about the task at hand and what’s been my next job.

“It’s certainly been a year I won’t forget.”

Thurston said he hadn’t pondered how he would spend his first day in retirement, but Green just may have given it away as the pair spoke to the media as captain and coach for the last time.

“For him to wake up, he’s got to go to bed,” Green said.