‘Cooper Cronk’ photo teases Roosters fans ahead of NRL season kick-off
Cooper Cronk gave Sydney Roosters endless reasons to smile during his two years with the club — and it looked like the champion halfback was set to bring more cheer this week.
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Sydney Roosters fans would have been forgiven for thinking Cooper Cronk was making a comeback when a photo of their halfback for season 2020 emerged this week.
But the image wasn’t of the Bondi club’s much-loved grand-final hero — rather, it was incoming No. 7 Kyle Flanagan.
The rising playmaker struck an uncanny resemblance to Cronk during a promotional shoot for the 2020 NRL season.
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Cronk and the former Cronulla Sharks junior have developed a master and apprentice-like relationship over the pre-season.
The four-time premiership winner, who has joined the coaching staff at the Roosters, has been giving Flanagan one-on-one sessions to help the youngster ease into the role of coach Trent Robinson’s starting halfback.
For the 21-year-old, learning from Cronk is an invaluable opportunity.
“That is honestly unreal, I idealised him as a kid,” Flanagan said last month.
“Just doing little stuff with him one-on-one and then doing a bit of kicking with him on the side after training. Cooper is going to be massive for me during the year.
“He probably won’t be a coach or mentor but more of a mate to me.”
Roosters captain Boyd Cordner told The Daily Telegraph that Flanagan had settled in perfectly at the club and his work with Cronk would go a long way to ensuring his long-term success.
“He has been really good,” Cordner said.
“He is a confident young kid. You’re going to have to be as a young halfback. Coming back at the start of the year and coming around him and watching him at training, around the boys and around the club, he has fitted in nicely.’’