NRL: Thurston cleared for Origin decider

Johnathan Thurston. Photo / Getty Images

A rugby league civil war has been averted with Queensland maestro Johnathan Thurston cleared to play in the State of Origin decider after being found not guilty of making contact with a referee.

Cries of a NSW-led conspiracy were finally put to bed, with Thurston's assertion that his collision with referee Matt Cecchin was accidental accepted by the NRL judiciary panel.

But Thurston was forced to endure a nerve-wracking 45-minute deliberation before learning his Origin fate.

"I was (getting worried), but I feel pretty good now," Thurston said of the long deliberation.

"I don't want to look too far ahead (to Origin) - I've got a job to do with the Cowboys this weekend against the Panthers, that's my focus, and then I'll turn my focus to Origin then.

As for claims of a southern conspiracy, Thurston said:

"Obviously people were talking about them, but I was always confident of coming down here and putting forward a good case and getting off - I'm really relieved."

A guilty finding to the contrary conduct charge would no doubt have had Queenslanders screaming blue murder - particularly given two former NSW Origin representatives in Ian Roberts and Michael Buettner were part of the three-member panel.

Former Queensland Origin centre Mark Coyne turned down the opportunity to sit on the panel due to his close relationship with Thurston, while another former Maroon in Bob Lindner was unavailable.

Queensland coach Mal Meninga, who had labelled the charge "ludicrous", urged the game's administrators to review the rule.

"I just hope the game re-assesses that particular rule because with two referees on the field at the same time, contact is going to happen at some stage," Meninga told AAP.

"It doesn't happen all that often and I don't know any referee who's been hurt really badly.

"It's a gladiator sport and with two referees on the field the chances are they will come in contact with a player at some stage.

Meninga said he was never really worried that Thurston would miss the July 6 decider.

"I was just hoping they (the judiciary) would draw a line in the sand in regards to the game itself.

"It was completely accidental and it was very important for the game that it came to the decision it did and exercised some common sense."

Thurston was adamant he didn't see Cecchin until the moment of impact, with his eyes firmly fixed on Warriors five-eighth James Maloney after he capitalised on a break made by Feleti Mateo.

Judiciary counsel James McLeod claimed Thurston "didn't take the steps that were reasonably available to him to avoid contact with the match official."

Thurston agreed with McLeod's assertion that it was the duty of the player to avoid contact with the referee, but insisted he didn't make the effort to step around Cecchin because the official never entered his line of sight.

"I could see the break happening, I had my eyes on Feleti," Thurston said.

"... at no point have I seen the referee until I collided with him."

Asked what he was attempting to do when the crashed into the back of Cecchin, Thurston said:

"I was trying to stop the try from happening.

"I didn't even try and brace (for impact) because I didn't see him until the point of contact."

Thurston's Cowboys teammate Tariq Sims was banned for two games with a downgrade plea on his grade two 'crusher' tackle charge rejected.

- AAP