Jonathon Thurston was on the receiving end of a hilarious April Fool's 'stitch up' perfectly executed by Channel Nine's rugby league commentary team.
The NRL legend looked like a deer in the headlights when Thursday night football host James Bracey feigned being violently ill just seconds before he and colour commentators Thurston and Allana Ferguson were about to go live.
The team pretended they were returning after a halftime commercial break during the match between Manly and Penrith.
But the last minute walk-off meant the unprepared former Bulldogs, Cowboys, and Queensland star would have to take charge of the broadcast.