North Queensland No.7 Johnathan Thurston has inspired the Cowboys to a 23-16 NRL season-opening win over the Broncos in Brisbane.

All eyes were on Thurston, but the match was clouded by a first-half eye-gouging controversy.

Cowboys backrower Sione Faumuina complained in the 32nd minute that Broncos lock Tonie Carroll had gouged his eyes in a tackle.

But when referee Tim Mander asked if he wanted to make a formal complaint, Faumuina declined.

However, the incident still could come under scrutiny of the match review committee.

Adding injury to insult, Broncos backrower Corey Parker suffered a first-half dislocated wrist.

But the limelight centred on the halves battle after Broncos coach Wayne Bennett sprung the first surprise of the season by handing Test fullback Karmichael Hunt the Brisbane No.7 jersey.

Thurston earned early honours by having a hand in all three Cowboys' first-half tries to give North Queensland a handy 16-6 buffer at the main break and silence a ground record 50,416-strong crowd.

However, Hunt provided Brisbane's second-half spark.

He cut through veterans Faumuina and Jason Smith before defying a diving Matt Bowen to score down the left sideline in the 57th minute.

Hunt then combined with a rusty Darren Lockyer before a clever Tonie Carroll offload sent exciting youngster Joel Moon over in the 62nd minute.

Lockyer - who had been rusty with the ball in his hands - showed he still had the Midas touch with the boot, kicking a sideline conversion to lock up the scores 16-16.

Not to be outdone, Thurston's inside-ball sent a flying Bowen on a typical jinking 60m run to the try-line, including a clever step that left Hunt grasping at air in the 73rd minute.

Bowen sealed the honours with a 25m field goal with two minutes left on the clock.

In the first half, Thurston opened the scoring with a penalty goal before sending centre Ashley Graham over down the right flank in the eighth minute.

The shellshocked Broncos looked down-and-out when Parker left the field in the 12th minute.

But Brisbane bounced back one minute later when hooker Shaun Berrigan darted from dummy-half to set up galloping prop Dane Carlaw for a soft try.

A trademark Thurston grubber sent centre Neil Henry over in the 21st minute but the Cowboys playmaker showed he was human when he was cut down by Moon with the line open nine minutes later.

But Thurston was at it again in the final minute of the first half.

His kick appeared to be regathered by Justin Hodges, only for Thurston to jolt it free and offload to a jinking Matt Bowen who gift wrapped a second try for Graham.

It could have been worse - Brenton Bowen crashed over in the 49th minute only to have his try disallowed for a forward pass.

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