When the going gets tough, the tough call Johnathan Thurston. With the defending premiers at home tonight against rivals Brisbane, many believe the Cowboys will go through to week three but it’s not as easy as it sounds.

The Cowboys are coming off the back of a rugged loss to the Melbourne Storm last weekend at AAMI Park and have had one less day to prepare for Wayne Bennett’s Brisbane who eventually racked up a big score against the Gold Coast Titans at Suncorp Stadium.

Anyone confident of a big Cowboys victory this evening are only fooling themselves – the Broncos are a seriously good football team.

What you can guarantee however, is in the clutch, Cowboys halfback and leader Johnathan Thurston will be there. If you miss, Thurston won’t.

Recent games between these sides have produced some of the best spectacles in recent memory and tonight shouldn’t be any different.

Plenty of the chatter has been about the Broncos being without James Roberts after the centre was suspended but will Brisbane really miss Roberts that much?

Or will the Cowboys miss Ethan Lowe and Kane Linnett just a little more?

And the fact the Cowboys have had so much travel in recent times, must worry fans.

But for a champion like Thurston, all he needs to get up in the morning and fight is the fresh smell of sudden death rugby league.

“It’s always exciting and if you’re not jumping out of your skin this time of the year there is something wrong with you,” he said.

“You always look forward to these types of games, there’s a great respect between the two clubs but once you cross that white line it’s a whole different ball game.

“When you finish in that top four you give yourself that opportunity so while it’s come a week earlier than what we would’ve liked it’s still an exciting time for us.”

The Cowboys won the 2015 grand final because the men around Thurston stepped up. Nobody will ever forget Matt Scott’s fearless charge late in the match that inched the Cowboys closer or the unbelievable last ditch effort from Michael Morgan who sent Kyle Feldt away for the try in the corner.

But in the end, it was Thurston who kicked the field goal.

If the game is there to be won tonight it will probably be Thurston again. Which makes it simple for the Broncos. They must play to their full potential and take every chance. Their halves Ben Hunt and Anthony Milford can’t miss, because Thurston will be waiting.

And it’s not hard to see Thurston loves playing the Broncos.

“I think that both clubs bring the best out in each other, that’s the best way I can explain it,” Thurston said.

“It was tough to get that Melbourne loss out of the head but that’s done and dusted and we need to focus on the Broncos.

“We need to make sure we get it right otherwise we’ll be out the back door.”

Don’t miss Brisbane. Whatever you do, take your chances.

Thurston will only give you so many.

@woodward_curtis