Cooper Cronk has reportedly instructed his manager to explore his options in Sydney, confirming the star half will play on in 2018. Sorry Cooper, you’ve made the wrong call.
Cronk debuted for Melbourne in 2004, spending the majority of his first two seasons coming off the bench. It wasn’t until 2006 that Cronk would finally snare the starting halfback role for the Storm, the dawn of Melbourne’s domination.
Fast forward eleven years, seven Grand Final appearances, four premierships* and countless State of Origin and Kangaroo victories later, Cooper Cronk has truly announced himself as one of Melbourne Storm’s greatest ever players.
Ending his 323 game career at Melbourne with a premiership win, Cronk has built a legacy over the past thirteen years. So why tarnish it by playing on at a different club?
The Sydney Roosters have emerged as favourites for the halfback’s signature, with captain Jake Friend the man most likely to be cut from the side, with Mitchell Pearce set to make the shift to hooker.
Removing Friend and adding in Cronk along with new recruit James Tedesco would undoubtedly confirm the Roosters as premiership favourites, just months after failing one game short of a Grand Final appearance.
But what if Cronk doesn’t fit into the Roosters system?
In recent years, we’ve several stars abandon the chance to retire as one-club legends, instead opting to make a move late in their careers, and not exactly work out to the best of their ability.
Glenn Stewart was informed by Manly that he wouldn’t be re-signed past the 2014 season, signing a two-year deal with South Sydney. Stewart would only play a handful of games before departing for the Super League, while Robbie Farah is currently in the same boat after being released by the Wests Tigers.
If Cronk were to today announce his retirement today, he’d likely end his career with a State of Origin shield, NRL Premiership trophy and a World Cup victory in his final year. A fitting end to a spectacular career.
Cronk was never handed his shot at glory, he worked hard for it, and his patience is one of his greatest assets. Over the 2004 and 2005 seasons, Cooper Cronk came off the bench 23 times, with Scott Hill and Matt Orford having made Melbourne’s halves positions their own.
The same could be said about Cooper in the Origin arena. He spent two years on Queensland’s interchange, until Darren Lockyer announced his retirement, handing the reins over.
In his first ever Origin series as a starting half, Cronk would win the Maroons the series after a forty-metre field goal in the decider. Patience is one of his most defining characteristics and a huge factor to why his timing is so perfect.
Cooper Cronk is rolling the dice, and if history is anything to go by, it isn’t the right choice. Anything short of a premiership will see Cooper’s move to a new club as a failed stint, so why put a black mark on a legacy sure to be remembered for years to come.
Sorry Cooper, you’ve made the wrong choice.
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