THE man charged with being Johnathan Thurston’s on-field bodyguard has been revealed as the man who gave the Cowboys champion his grand final bloodied eye.

Gavin Cooper, the tough-as-nails backrower who plays on Thurston’s left side of the field and who is expected to “protect” the playmaker in defence, clashed heads with the Clive Churchil Medallist while celebrating the Cowboy’s first NRL title.

When Thurston slotted the premiership-winning field goal in extra time after the two sides were drawn 16-16 at fulltime, there was no sign of blood on his face.

But when he emerged from the Cowboys’ celebration “claret” was flowing from a cut above his left eye.

There was no clear television footage of which Cowboy damaged the club’s most valuable asset and Thurston was happy to wear the blood as a badge on honour in post-match interviews.

Cooper later owned up to doing more damage to Thurston than the Broncos managed in 82 minutes of the grand final.

The friendly fire injury probably scared Thurston’s daughter Frankie most.

The grand final attracted a peak television audience of 4.48 million on the Nine Network, the second biggest grand final audience ever.

The Broncos’ heartbreak kid, halfback Ben Hunt has been cited over his lifting tackle on Cowboy Kane Linnett late in regular time.

The offence carried 325 demerit points but a guilty plea and Hun’t clean-record discount means he will miss only one match, probably at the world club challenge in England in the pre-season.

Broncos prop Adam Blair has been cited overv a carelss high tackle on Cowboy Jake Granville but will not be suspended.