Johnathan Thurston has gone out a winner with a huge outpouring of appreciation from fans, teammates, opponents and the Australian community.
The 323-game veteran announced before the season started 2018 would be his last.
His final season retirement victory lap didn't go to plan however with the Cowboys finishing in the bottom half of the ladder.
The match started with plenty of emotion as Storm captain and long-time friend Cameron Smith was part of a big contingent of family and friends to welcome Thurston onto the field.
A surprise visit from @camsmith9, the team all wearing his headgear and his beautiful family there to greet him.
— NRL (@NRL) September 1, 2018
Wonderful scenes.#TelstraPremiership moment of the match.#NRLTitansCowboys#NRL pic.twitter.com/o4NSeabzNH
Fans, celebrities, and sports stars took to social media to praise and thank the man most assume will be a future Immortal.
Jonathan is so lucky he found rugby league in his life. But nowhere near as much as rugby league is lucky to have found Jonathan Thurston. https://t.co/lWVqRm9MnE
— Phil Gould (@PhilGould15) September 1, 2018
JT - STILL THE ONE
— Zac Bailey (@ZacBailey14) September 1, 2018
Itโs hard to believe today will be the last time we ever see this master ply his trade in the @NRL.
Some say Johnathan Thurston went a year too long ... the stats below suggest heโs going out a year early.
Regardless, itโs been one hell of a ride #ThanksJT pic.twitter.com/cJUpdTbSaR
I have kept every note of every schoolboy game I have ever called. I had no idea in 1999 that when I commentated a 16yo kid called Thurston in a TV game for the 1st time i was watching a future legend.Tonight i call his last game too for @FOXNRL @nthqldcowboys v @GCTitans . pic.twitter.com/uzaTvmXIT8
— Andrew Voss (@AndrewVossy) August 31, 2018
What a #ThanksJT message from this little Cowboys fan! #ridemcowboys pic.twitter.com/E3iCoD5w3R
— NQ Cowboys (@nthqldcowboys) September 1, 2018
On the eve of Johnathan Thurston's last game, I would like to say thanks.#ThanksJT #ridemcowboys #NRLTitansCowboys pic.twitter.com/KXeII7cbk3
— lethal lisa (@lethal__lisa) August 31, 2018
What a career, the greatest #ThanksJT pic.twitter.com/wQe3wn0r9N
— Lee Gaskin (@Lee_Gaskin1) September 1, 2018
JT you are a CHAMPION! From the @NRL_Bulldogs to the @nthqldcowboys QLD and Kangaroos. Itโs been a privilege watching you play. Thank you for your career ๐๐๐ #ThanksJT
— Ev (@EvaaanMan) September 1, 2018
A legend of the @NRL hangs up with headgear today. An inspiring player, captain and person, his influence on the @nthqldcowboys and the game will resonate for generations. I wish him all the best with the next chapter of his life and new baby #ThanksJT #standingforJT https://t.co/BI7p85ljIU
— Senator The Hon. Bridget McKenzie (@senbmckenzie) September 1, 2018
Best of luck to a Queensland Legend tonight. Youโve done us proud #ThanksJT
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@a_palaszczuk) September 1, 2018
FT: Cowboys 30 - Titans 26
— Gold Coast Titans (@GCTitans) September 1, 2018
Not our night but thanks for the memories JT! pic.twitter.com/tgHrYMU3gW
Best of luck to a Queensland Legend tonight. Youโve done us proud #ThanksJT
— Annastacia Palaszczuk (@a_palaszczuk) September 1, 2018
FT: Cowboys 30 - Titans 26
— Gold Coast Titans (@GCTitans) September 1, 2018
Not our night but thanks for the memories JT! pic.twitter.com/tgHrYMU3gW
Canโt wait to watch the ๐ Jonathan Thurston for the final time. Thanks for all the highlights #NRLTitansCowboys
— Nic Naitanui (@NicNat) September 1, 2018
Congratulations to the last Bulldogs premiership winner Johnathan Thurston on a fine career. Hasn't always been easy to watch, but he'll go down as one of Queensland's best ๐
— Simon Masterton (@OiSimmo) September 1, 2018
Thank you Johnathan Thurston!
— Fox Sports Lab (@FoxSportsLab) September 1, 2018
323 @NRL Games
923 goals
2222 points
37 Origin Games โ 2nd most
99 goals โ Origin record
220 points โ Origin record
38 Tests for Australia
165 goals โ most for AU
382 points โ most for AU#NRLTitansCowboys #ThanksJT #ridemcowboys
Johnathan Thurston.
— Trent Copeland (@copes9) September 1, 2018
What an absolute legend. ๐๐ฝ #NRL
The Titans led 18-6 at the break but were dominated in the second half to ensure a winning farewell for the champion No. 7.
Thurston terrorised the Titans with his short kicking game in the second half and it was fitting, after doing it so many times before, that he landed the fatal blow in his final appearance.
Trailing by two, the No.7 chipped and found Gavin Cooper with nine minutes to play, the backrower scoring for an unprecedented ninth straight game as the Cowboys shot ahead 24-20.
Gideon Gela-Mosby then sealed the contest with a 60m intercept effort in front of a sell-out crowd at Robina despite Brenko Lee's 80th-minute try.
Despite being a Titans home match, the crowd was there to send Thurston out a winner, booing the Titans at various stages of the match.
It was vintage stuff from Thurston in his 323rd NRL game but he also brought something extra in defence to drag his side back into the contest.
A corking tackle up-ended Titans big man Ryan James and led to the side's first try, while another jarring hit on Ashley Taylor kept the hosts under the pump in the second half.
Thurston's teammates cheekily ran out in replicas of his trademark headgear as he was greeted by his parents, wife Sam, three children and long-time Queensland teammate Cameron Smith.
"It's been a pleasure hey; I'm happy it happened and enjoyed every moment of it," he told Fox Sports after the game.
"I can't thank the game of rugby league enough for the life that it's given me."
The pulsing crowd of 26,681 was urging the visitors on but there was no repeat of last Friday's lightning start in Thurston's Townsville farewell.
Gold Coast controlled the early stages, with fullback AJ Brimson bursting out of the blocks to find a clear path through for the game's first try.
It scuppered a planned seventh-minute tribute for Thurston, with fans' applause muddled by the up-and-coming Titan's exploits.
The Panthers have beaten the Warriors in their first trip to Auckland in six years.