Grand final cult hero Scott Sattler says there is one thing standing between Johnathan Thurston and the title as rugby league’s greatest ever player.

The 2003 premiership-winning lock believes that if Thurston can win the big one as captain and halfback of the North Queensland Cowboys, Thurston will become the best.

“I want to see Johnathan Thurston win a grand final as a leader. If he does I think he becomes our greatest rugby league player of all time,” Sattler told nrl.com.

“He doesn’t need it [a premiership with the Cowboys] but the expectation from everyone is that you need to tick every box.

“He has won a grand final [Bulldogs in 2004] but I think it’s different when you win one as a leader of a team and player who has had a lot of experience after being a grand final winner at such an early age.

“It’s not necessarily who I think will win because I don’t think anyone knows who is going to win but I’d just love to see Thurston win the grand final and be able to tick that box where he has dominated every level of the competition.”

Meanwhile former team-mate Brent Tate wants Thurston to win for all the right reasons despite also being a former Brisbane Bronco.

“He’s just a wonderful, wonderful man. I don’t think anyone can say anything more about JT,” Tate told NRL.com.

“It’s all been said and whether the Cowboys win this grand final or not, it’s not going to influence where he finishes in terms of his stature in the game.

“If anything it will enhance it but when he finishes he’s going to go down as one of the all-time greats.”