But even when he'd decided to move to Townsville from Canterbury, Thurston jokingly asked whether the Raiders' offer was still on the table when he got off the plane and was confronted by North Queensland's heat. Thurston is in Canberra on Friday promoting his new book Johnathan Thurston: The Autobiography with a book signing at Dymocks in Belconnen and then speaking about his star-studded career at the National Convention Centre. He'll be joined on stage by a couple of surprise guests that have played a big role in his career. But Raiders fans were left to ponder what could've been with Thurston revealing how close he came to joining the Green Machine. He could've been vying with Lincoln Withers, Jason Smith and Todd Carney for a spot in the halves in 2005, with a young Terry Campese learning his craft in the background.

Thurston almost joined the Raiders from the Bulldogs. Credit:Simon Alekna Thurston played 29 NRL games for the Bulldogs, including coming off the bench in their NRL grand final win against the Sydney Roosters in 2004. He famously gave his premiership ring to injured captain Steve Price. While the Raiders' offer might've been bigger, he felt the Cowboys were a better fit for his football and he helped them to the grand final in his very first season in Townsville. "The Raiders threw in a fair offer so certainly could've ended up there, who would've known," Thurston said.

"I was very flattered by their offer. It certainly blew the other clubs out of the water with their offer, but I wanted to go somewhere that would get the best out of myself and play my best footy." Sticky start to career While Thurston never joined the Raiders, their current coach Stuart played a big role in his young career. Stuart coached him at the Bulldogs when he was coming through their under-20 Jersey Flegg Cup team.

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart played a big role in Thurston's career. Credit:Melissa Adams He also gave him his first cap for Australia, picking him on the bench in the utility role for the Kangaroos in the Anzac Test against New Zealand in 2006. Thurston said Stuart helped lay the foundations for his career. "Very big ... playing in the halves, being a Canberra Raiders fan I certainly picked his brains while we were both there," he said. "We went on and won the grand final that year. I've certainly got some good memories from being there."

Big Mal Another Raiders legend also played a part. Meninga was Queensland's State of Origin coach from 2006-15 before taking over the Kangaroos' reins from 2016 onwards. Thurston said Meninga knew how to get the best out of his playing group, was a great man manager and had a good football brain as well - something he's tapped into over the years. "He's been a mentor of mine and I've been able to pick his brains about a lot of things - not only football, but life away from football as well," Thurston said.

Loading "I'm very lucky in that sense where I've had some really good people around me." Raiders revival Thurston predicted Canberra would bounce back after a disappointing two seasons where they've missed the finals. He felt they'd under achieved since storming to the preliminary final in 2016 only to fall a couple of points short of making the NRL grand final.

"They obviously missed [Josh] Hodgson this year ... but they've been under achieving the last couple of years and no doubt they'll want to be better than what they were this year and start pushing for a title with the playing roster that they've got," Thurston said. "They've got a side there that's better than what they've been finishing on the ladder so hopefully they can right the wrongs of the last couple of years and really become a force to be reckoned with. "Especially with that forward pack they've got. She's a fair forward pack." Canberra's big freeze Perhaps it was Mother Nature's way of getting a bit of revenge for the Raiders, with Thurston caught on camera shivering in the 38-12 loss on a freezing cold Canberra night.