Johnathan Thurston: Image of daughter holding dark-skinned doll becomes talking point of NRL grand final
The doll was praised as a symbol of inclusiveness
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.An image of an Australian rugby player holding his young daughter quickly became the talking point of Australia’s National Rugby League Final overnight.
North Queensland Cowboys co-captain Johnathan Thurston scored the winning goal of the match against the Brisbane Broncos on Sunday by 16-17. The game, described as one of the best grand finals of all time, was significant as both teams had Indigenous Australian captains for the first time in NRL history.
After beating the Broncos, an emotional Thurston was pictured sat on the pitch, crying and holding his two-year-old daughter Frankie, who was clutching a dark-skinned doll.
The image provoked a strong reaction on social media, with many praising Thurston for giving his child a toy that promotes inclusiveness and diversity. A number of people singled it out as the strongest picture from the tournament.
Dreams do come true... #NRLGF
Posted by NRL - National Rugby League on Sunday, 4 October 2015
The Broncos captain Justin Hodges was full of praise for Thurston after his victory.
“His legacy in my eyes is as one of the greatest players to have ever played the game,” he told ABC News.
Thurston's Wikipedia page was also updated to describe him as “a God and co-captain of National Rugby League team the North Queensland Cowboys” shortly after.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments