JOHNATHAN Thurston is an 87kg halfback yet he ran for more metres than any Rabbitohs forward in a masterclass that all but ended Souths Sydney’s finals chances.

Thurston produced his best performance of the season against Blues rival Adam Reynolds to illustrate how wide the gulf in class is between the Origin playmakers.

Souths’ much-vaunted forward pack was dominated by the opposition’s No.7.

“We might have to put him in the No.8 jersey,” Paul Green quipped about his star’s performance.

“I don’t think I have ever seen him run for that many metres.”

media_camera Johnathan Thurston was in fine form for the Cowboys. Picture: Brendan Radke

Thurston ran for 115m from 10 runs with five tackle busts. He scored a try, set up a try, made two linebreaks and had two linebreak assists.

South Sydney’s most effective territory gainer was Sam Burgess, but he only made 93m.

“Our performances have been good rather than being great and he (Thurston) wanted to put himself in the game and he was dangerous every time he touched the ball,” Green said.

“To have a nil scoreline, your attitude has to be right, and that’s what I was most pleased with.”

media_camera John Sutton is wrapped up by the Cowboys defence.

In front of a packed Barlow Park, the Cowboys were dominant from the kick-off when they pinned the Rabbitohs in their own in-goal.

The Rabbitohs are now only a slight mathematical chance of making the top eight. It won’t happen.

South Sydney are not skilled or hungry enough to win the eight straight games by significant margins to create a miracle.

They cruelled themselves by committing unforced errors at the worst possible moments.

Their best attacking opportunity came one minute out from half-time but on the first tackle Burgess dropped the ball.

Meanwhile, Thurston was forcing repeated dropouts with a precise kicking game.

The Cowboys have won two games now without five-eighth Michael Morgan.

Green said his five-eighth would not be available for the Maroons ­because he was another two weeks away from returning from a knee ­injury.

The Cowboys’ next match will be much tougher, against the Raiders in Canberra next Monday without their Origin players.

NORTH QUEENSLAND 20 (J Bowen M Scott J Thurston tries J Thurston 4 goals) bt SOUTH SYDNEY 0 at Barlow Park. Referee: Gerard Sutton, Peter Gough. Crowd: 14,923.