JOHNATHAN Thurston has revealed he will be strategically rested from Cowboys games this season in a radical plan to ensure he is 100 per cent fit for the finals.

It will be a serious gamble to rest Thurston from premiership matches considering the club’s lack of success without him.

However, this season is the Cowboys’ greatest opportunity for a premiership and they must ensure their most important player is fresh come September.

Thurston recently mapped out a plan with coach Paul Green that would see him rested in the back half of the year regardless of whether he was injured.

The rest plan depends on North Queensland’s form before State of Origin as Thurston is unlikely to be rested if they are outside the eight in the back of half of the season.

Parramatta used a similar plan last year, resting Jarryd Hayne from club games during the Origin period even though he was injury free.

media_camera Johnathan Thurston has had a full pre-season for the first time in years.

It backfired when they failed to make the finals due to for and against.

Thurston, like Hayne, can play more than 30 games in a year due to State of Origin and Test match duties.

The star five-eighth plays his first game of the year this Friday in the All Stars event on the Gold Coast.

He is on the wrong side of 30 and playing 22 instead of 24 NRL games this year may be the refresh that helps the Cowboys achieve their maiden premiership.

Thurston, who once considered standing down from State of Origin to preserve himself for the Cowboys, said the strategic rest plan was hatched this pre-season.

“I have had a chat to Greenie about that,” he said.

“Fingers crossed we get off to a good start because we have been slow the last three or four years out of the box.

“Hopefully we start the year faster than what we have and if we do then that gives me the opportunity to put those things into place with Greenie.”

The Cowboys are determined to make the most of the club’s greatest chance to win a title in their history.

North Queensland typically have a host of representative players start the year tired and without a proper fitness base due to international matches in October.

However, this year their stars have enjoyed a full pre-season as they were unavailable for the Four Nations.

media_camera Johnathan Thurston is open to resting if it helps the Cowboys win a premiership.

Asked if this was the year for a Cowboys premiership, Thurston replied: “Well, we are overdue. I would like to think so but it is a tough competition.

“We have the building blocks in place to give it a good shake.”

Thurston will play just one pre-season game with the Cowboys, a trial against the Gold Coast.

He said while he loved the All Stars concept and hoped it was always a pre-season fixture, he wished he could play more trials with his club.

“We need to be smarter with the way things are done,” he said.

“I will only get the one opportunity to play with my team before Round 1.

“I wish I could have another opportunity to do that but with a packed schedule you can’t.”