Brisbane prop Petero Civoniceva won’t see much of North Queensland superstar Johnathan Thurston in Saturday night’s NRL knockout final at Dairy Farmers Stadium.

But experience tells him he and Queensland State of Origin teammate Ben Hannant can make life very difficult for the Cowboys playmaker by dominating the toughest battle of the night – against the Cowboys’ Australian front-row pairing of Matt Scott and James Tamou.

The less clean ball Thurston receives and the less time he has, the less damage he and in-form fullback and Dally M runner-up Matt Bowen are likely to wreak on the Broncos.

“JT is the best player in the game for sure,” said Civoniceva.

“There are some amazing players in this finals series and some very influential players but none more influential than Johnathan in the way he controls the game and competes on every play.

“He’s the player we have to shut down if we’re going to be a chance of winning.

Civoniceva said Brisbane had to put the blow torch to Thurston and Bowen defensively which started by winning the battle in the middle.

“As a forward pack we have a huge challenge to stop the momentum of Matty Scott and James Tamou and the likes of Gav Cooper who’s been in tremendous form lately,” he said.

Scott, who lost his mother to cancer during the Origin series, conceded it would be tough ending close friend Civoniceva’s career on Saturday night.

Together they’ve helped Queensland to a remarkable seven straight Origin series victories.

Off the field they’ve forged a friendship which Scott clearly cherishes.

Both know there’s no place for sentiment in rugby league, least of all when a team’s season is on the line.

“As sad as it is to say I hope it is his last game,” Scott said.

Civoniceva, though, may have something to say about that.