Watch footy legend Johnathan Thurston jump out of his skin in Channel Nine stitch up in Darwin

It is not the first time that Thurston has had a close encounter of the scaly kind.

On the field Queensland State of Origin champion Johnathan Thurston was fearless. When confronted with a harmless tree snake, not so much.

The former Cowboys NRL premiership winner was in Darwin this week to commentate the match between the Brisbane Broncos and Parramatta Eels on Friday night.

During the week, the Channel Nine team took time to see the sights of the Top End, including wildlife park Crocosaurus Cove.

As Thurston and Danika Mason were wrapping up a segment, the team decided to play an all-time prank on the World Cup winning Kangaroos halfback.

Thurston delivered his trademark laugh and turned right to leave, but a Crocosaurus Cove staff member was waiting with the giant snake in her hands.

Thurston turned around and got the fright of his life when confronted with this snake held by a Crocosaurus Cove handler

All was forgiven soon after and the Thurston and his new reptile friend were best mates, kind of.

The fright it gave Thurston was nearly enough to knock him out of his shoes.

‘Holy dooley!’ he yelped.

Thurston saw the humour in the prank and spent time with the snake draped around his neck for photos and vision, although he didn’t look totally comfortable with the situation.

‘Hahaha JT wouldn’t last 5 minutes in the bush,’ one fan posted.

‘I am with you on that one JT. Eekkkkk,’ posted another.

 The vision was liked on Instagram by several of Thurston’s former teammates including Kyle Feldt along with current players like Haumole Olakau’atu.

Back in his playing days, the champion halfback also came closer than he would have liked to a brown snake during the middle of an NRL match in 2014.

A Cowboys fan tries to corral the snake that had invaded the pitch during North Queensland’s clash against the Gold Coast Titans in 2014

Thurston was on the field when this slippery customer made an unexpected appearance before disappearing into a drain

On a warm night on the Gold Coast, spectators leapt to their feet early in the first half of the Titans versus Cowboys game when a snake slithered onto the field in the south-eastern corner.

Measuring three feet long, the serpent made its way towards the crowd before disappearing into a water pipe underneath the grandstand, despite efforts by security to contain it.

Thurston also lashed out on his dream car in 2018 – a 1967 Shelby GT500 Super Snake.

After a 16-season career in rugby league, the star player treated himself to the rare special gift for himself for approximately $400,000.

Only 50 of these vehicles were ever made, and Thurston was fortunate enough to acquire one of them. What makes this Mustang even more unique is that only two of its kind were produced with right-hand drive.