Thurston responds to 'jersey protest' claims

Eagle-eyed viewers thought Johnathan Thurston was making a protest against the NRL on his Indigenous jersey on Thursday night.

Thurston’s jersey caught the attention of some fans during the national anthem before his side’s clash with Wests Tigers at Leichhardt Oval.

The NRL logo on Thurston’s chest appeared to have some white tape covering the R and L.

With the match marking the start of the NRL’s Indigenous round, some thought Thurston may have been attempting to make some sort of statement.

However the man himself has since addressed those claims, stating he wasn’t even aware of what had happened to his jersey.

“I have absolutely no idea how the tape got on to the NRL logo on my jersey last night,” he said via the Cowboys Twitter account on Friday.

“I want to ensure people it was not a protest and that I am a proud Aboriginal man that is 100% supportive of the NRL’s Indigenous Round.”

After a tumultuous week marked by off-field dramas, the Cowboys were given a reality check by the Tigers, losing 20-12.