Deans, who begins what will be a high-profile rein as Wallabies coach today, ended his tenure as it began nine years ago with a tense Super rugby final victory here on Saturday night.
Wi ns over the ACT Brumbies in 2000 and 2002, the New South Wales Waratahs in 2005, the Hurricanes in 2006 and Saturday night's 20-12 arm wrestle against the Waratahs leave Deans with a five-title record.
However, Thorne said the coach's legacy was much more than silverware and wondered if there was anybody capable of maintaining his standards.
"Of all the people who are leaving, he's going to leave the biggest hole," Thorne said.
"With the input he's had over the years and his knowledge base and the way he operates, it's been pretty amazing really.
"Players have always come and gone but he's been there to bring things through. I just hope they replace him with someone pretty special."
Deans and Thorne both believe current assistant coach Mark Hammett was ready to make the leap despite his lack of experience.
Deans said there were no regrets he was vacating the job that had taken him to seven finals in nine attempts.
"None of us are here forever, people come and go. The critical thing is that it carries on," he said.
"I've got no doubt that it will and I look forward to coming back and being entertained by these blokes."
Waratahs coach Ewen McKenzie suspected Deans was too dedicated to leave the franchise in a perilous state and didn't expect many hiccups next year.
"How many titles have they won now? They've won a heap," McKenzie said.
"I'd suggest that their succession planning and the work they do there has been top notch.
"I'm sure Robbie will leave them something there to work with."
All Blacks halfback Andy Ellis, who revelled behind the Crusaders pack all season, believed Deans would ultimately become a very influential figure in Australian rugby.
"He knows how to bring a team together and make them play for each other. That's probably his greatest quality," Ellis said.
"If he can manage to do that with the Wallabies, I'm sure he can achieve great things.
"He's got to start right from the start an d get them buying into something which maybe they haven't had before."
Crusaders captain Richie McCaw, surely a leading candidate for player of the Super 14, was confident the Crusaders could remain the team to beat next year.
The values Deans had instilled wouldn't fade away overnight.
"There's been a complete change of personnel since '98 when the Crusaders first won, to now. But the same ethos have been carried through and that's a real credit to the guys who started that and it's up to the rest of us who are around next year to make sure it carries on."
McCaw was just as glowing when describing the 12-year contribution of Thorne, who signed off an illustrious career with three minutes off the reserve bench.
"Up until this year, every time I've taken the field he's be en in the No 6 jersey beside me," All Blacks skipper McCaw said of the man who had been an enormous influence on the early part of his career.
"When things got tough he'd always be pretty calm and have a wise word to say about what we should do or how we should approach things.
"Guys like him and Todd Blackadder and Daryl Gibson, those are the guys who set the attitude of what the Crusade rs are about."
Thorne admitted he felt nervous while stuck on the AMI Stadium reserve bench on Saturday -- not that Deans might have forgotten him but whether his team were going to quell the determined Waratahs.
Two tries to winger Lachlan Turner gave the visitors a 12-3 lead after half an hour and they also threatened when Crusaders lock Brad Thorn was sinbinned for punching when his team were just 14-12 up.
Their forward control and the 15-point boot of first five-eighth Daniel Carter proved decisive.
"I'm going to miss it, without a doubt," said Thorne, who leaves with his family next week to begin a contract in Japan.
"It's just the natural cycle of rugby. I'll move on and do a lot of things and let the next wave come through.
"It was just great to get out there one more time and be part of it. I got a lump in the throat."
Saturday's result further underlined the advantage of winning home advantage for the playoffs, with just two of the last Super rugby semifinals and finals won by the visiting team.
