When the Western Force embraced the rise of basketball’s Chicago Bulls as a theme for 2023, Jeremy Thrush was an ex-player behind a coach’s desk.
After a celebrated cameo in Perth last weekend, the former All Black is back in the line-up for a last dance no one saw coming.
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Grabbing some key lineouts, adding a voice of experience and a matchwinning pick-and-go try added to his cult following when he helped the Force rally to beat the Melbourne Rebels 34-27.
Whether his comeback lasts two more games, six weeks or intermittent games for the rest of the season, the 37-year-old is going to lap up “the twilight.”
No one instantly draws a connection between Michael Jordan’s acclaimed Chicago Bulls dynasty of the 1990s and the battlers in blue wearing a Force logo.
They are not supposed to. It is where the Bulls came from to earn success that is where the messaging of head coach Simon Cron is focused.
“Actually, it’s been really good,” Thrush said of Cron’s persuasive language in finding themes to embrace.
“Obviously, everyone has watched The Last Dance (the sports doco mini-series on the Bulls). We all watched it again over the Christmas break and when we came together we started talking about it,” Thrush said.
“The Bulls weren’t succeeding and had to make changes. They obviously got a world class guy in there with Michael Jordan but we have looked at all the different themes.
“Those themes of working hard and always being ‘on’ at training are a good fit. (Likewise) Driving players to be the best they can be, the way players fit into a system and putting ego to one side for something greater as a team.
“How that relates to us has been really inspirational.”
At 1.98m, Thrush is tall enough to dunk on anyone in the Force squad. He did laugh loudly when asked if he was the Scottie Pippen or Dennis Rodman character in Cron’s evolving script.
“If you ask the boys, they’d probably say Dennis Rodman because in the mind I’m not all there...I guess I’d have to be to put the boots back on,” Thrush said with a grin.
Just having a 12-Test All Blacks lock in the middle of the pack is so reassuring with Izack Rodda (foot) and Ryan McCauley (shoulder) down with injuries.
The Queensland Reds would certainly crave such experience in the tight five because that is where they are weakest heading into a clash on Sunday in Melbourne during Super Round.
Answering Cron’s SOS came down to several factors. Post-retirement, Thrush’s body was actually feeling good again. He was swimming and not getting too much of a dad bod but keeping away from anything heavy duty.
He also felt something of an obligation, the tug that only a true rugby player feels when he understands the essence of the game.
“I’ve met a lot of great people at the Western Force. Many would die for the chance of playing one more game but they can’t because of injury or whatever,” he said.
“I’m going to be able to look them in the eye and say I had a crack. I’m going to enjoy this however long it goes. You are a long time retired.”
Some things might have to change, like getting a proper seat in the change room at Perth’s HBF Park.
“There’s no locker in the dressing room with my name. I’ve got a desk in with the coaches area so the boys put an old box next to the mirror so I could get changed,” Thrush said.
The banter has been constant.
“There was a fair bit of old man chat from my own team about getting up and into it,” he added.
Thrush’s try made all the highlight reels. This week he knows he needs to add some extra oomph to other key areas of the game so the Force aim up against the Reds.
