Tonight’s judiciary hearing involving the Cowboys captain, Johnathan Thurston, is arguably the most influential in the 100 year history of rugby league in Australia.

There have been more controversial hearings such as when the Jim Comans-led judiciary in the 1970s and 1980s effectively ended the careers of a few players by handing out record suspensions in its efforts to stamp out blatant thuggery in the game. In 1983-84, Les Boyd copped a 12 month suspension, followed by a 15 month one when he was charged in only the fourth match after his return from the first suspension.

The worst penalty Thurston faces tonight is a one match suspension – a ban from the preliminary final against the Manly Sea Eagles this Saturday night.

Thurston is unquestionably the most dominant player in the NRL today. He is the Dally M Player of the Year, and was pivotal in the State of Origin series win this year. When he plays the Cowboys record is good, but when he’s out injured it’s appalling!

The betting agencies have suspended betting on Saturday nights game until after the hearing. If Thurston is cleared the Cowboys will be close to the Sea Eagles in betting, but if he is out then they will be the at long odds.

The most extraordinary aspect of the lead up to tonight’s hearing is the support Thurston is getting from the most unlikely sources. The commentator Queenslanders “love to hate”, Phil Gould, the former NSW Blues coach, set out a passionate case in yesterday Sydney Morning Herald for Thurston to be cleared, and added some very cogent observations on the whole judiciary process.

Today, the Manly Sea Eagles half, Matt Orford, expressed the hope he would be cleared, and the last player to miss a major final through suspension, the NSW Blues captain, Danny Buderis, has called for him to be let off – as has Mark Geyer, one of the toughest players ever to pull on a Blues jumper.

Thurston’s chances are strengthened by two factors. Firstly, the NRL judiciary panel – comprising three former players – has this year broken with tradition by dismissing more cases than it has upheld. While that has led to claims the judiciary is inconsistent, it is a refreshing change that improves Thurston’s chances, and that of other players who try their luck before the judiciary.

The second factor is that the Cowboys have chosen the most successful advocate before the judiciary to represent him. Geoff Bellew SC has won five of the seven cases he has argued before the judiciary this year – a record without parallel. I know Geoff, and have been communicating with him this week – the forensic approach he takes to judiciary cases involves hours of looking at videos and still shots of the tackle Thurston is in trouble over.

But the dismissal of the case cannot be taken for granted. Similar tackles this year have attracted suspensions, while others have not even led to a charge being laid.

It all makes for a fascinating night at the judiciary, one that will have a massive impact not only on the Cowboys, but on the NRL finals series.