Welcome to the NRL Grand Final Aftermath. Much like last week's NRL Grand Final Fever thingys, each day I'll take a look at the NRL GF via a slightly different angle and today it's all about the North Queensland Cowboys.

Throughout the second half of the last night's GF, I questioned whether the Cowboys had the attacking impetus to break through a brick wall/the Broncos' defence. Questioning whether a team with Jonathan Thurston in it can score one try, just one try to win the Premiership would normally be foolish, but the Cowboys fired shots left, right and centre at the Broncos' defence which just simply wouldn't crack.

I was concerned as I had picked the Cowboys and I was riding the Thurston wave - I wanted the Cowboys to win but couldn't see how they were going to score than winning try. Every shot the Cowboys fired was brushed aside by the best defensive team in the NRL and each time I checked the clock, well let's just say that time flies when you're having fun. All of a sudden there was no time left and I wondered if Thurston had done enough to give his team the win as I had this lingering thought that Lachlan Coote and Michael Morgan had been called on too much when perhaps it should have been Thurston.

I seriously questioned if Thurston had done enough.

But that's Thurston in a nutshell, because while there's the champagne passes and kicks, there's the effort that makes him the best. Thurston had run through his list of plays but simply couldn't crack the Broncos' defence and a few times the ball went to Coote and Morgan when I would have rather it gone to Thurston. But it was Thurston who set up that last try.

Morgan certainly played a key role, but he got the ball off Thurston ... after Thurston had pounced on a loose ball, shrugged off Adam Blair (who was arguably the Broncos' best forward and the best defensive player on the field) and circled looking for the right option.

That's peak Thurston. That's Thurston at his finest and it took Thurston at his finest to give the Cowboys the win. That was the slow-motion moment that great players speak of.

To honour the other Cowboys players, I'll roll through a quick thought on each of them...

Lachlan Coote - Immensely safe at the back. Over 100 running metres and his usual dosage of quality kicking; Coote kicked six times, Thurston kicked 10 times.

Kyle Feldt - Scored that try, but also showed that he's the new Pat Richards. Feldt's kick-offs soared, which gave the Cowboys more time to get up in the face of the Broncos and they routinely pinned the Broncos within their own 10m line off the restarts. These kicks are also hard to catch, just ask Ben Hunt.

Justin O'Neill - 19 carries for 160 metres and a great try in the first half.

Kane Linnett - 20 carries for 155 metres. Fuck I love O'Neill and Linnett, they deserve plenty of low key praise.

Antonion Winterstein - Safe as always, RIP little brother Frank.

Michael Morgan - The try assist for that try came about thanks to a signature play of Morgan's this season as he scooted around the outside with blinding speed.

Jonathan Thurston - G.O.A.T

Matt Scott & James Tamou - The best front-row in the NRL. Both looked dangerous with every carry.

Jake Granville - Another player who's speed set up a try, which has been a signature of Granville's all season.

Gavin Cooper & Ethan Lowe - Identical twins who are quality hole runners and are hard to handle. They also both played the whole game which is a massive effort and allows the Cowboys to carry three 'middle forwards' on their bench.

Jason Taumalolo - Who made the most metres for the Cowboys? Jason Taumalolo, who put in a huge shift last night and his speed/footwork was on display every time he ran the footy.

Rory Kostjasyn - The Cowboys definitely didn't look as dangerous when Granville was off the field, but they didn't really dip too much with Kostjasyn at hooker. Kostjasyn doesn't have Granville's running game, but his ability to do a solid job allows Granville to have a break and stay fresh.

John Asiata, Scott Bolton & Ben Hannant - There would be no Premiership without these three lads who, like Granville, did a great job coming off the bench. These three rotated on for Tamou, Scott and Taumalolo and kept the Cowboys moving forward, ensuring that the Cowboys didn't suffer when their best forwards left the field.

To put it simply - the Cowboys wouldn't have won without Thurston, but Thurston wouldn't have a ring without such a good team around him.