Sydney Roosters star Cooper Cronk cleared to play NRL grand final
COOPER Cronk’s availability was the major talking point leading into the NRL grand final — and now focus has turned to his performance.
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COOPER Cronk’s availability was the major talking point leading into the NRL grand final — and now focus has turned to his performance.
Clearly troubled by the shoulder injury that threatened to rule him out of the 2018 decider, Cronk has played an organising role for the Roosters, and it worked as the Roosters stunned the Storm to lead 18-0 at half-time.
NRL legend Darren Lockyer said the star halfback’s involvement was akin to that of “an under-8s coach” and fellow great Brad Fittler said Cronk’s organisation was key for the Roosters.
“If you look at his stats — three tackles, two kicks, seven passes,” Fittler said on Channel 9.
“Any other player you’d hook him. But he is out there for his voice and his brain in this second half.
“And I reckon his larynx is going to be sorer than his shoulder after the game.”
Cronk looked hampered by his injury early on, not having a touch in the Roosters’ first three sets with the ball.
But the key playmaker finally got involved after six minutes, with his first play to pass the ball from dummy half.
Two plays later he set up a short side raid and then kicked a bomb on the Roosters’ last tackle, copping a decent tackle in the process.
After the Roosters regained possession from the bomb, Cronk was then involved in his side’s opening try.
He threw a short pass to halves partner Luke Keary who found Daniel Tupou with a brilliant cut-out ball and the winger crossed in the corner.
Cronk earlier arrived at ANZ Stadium on the team bus where sources confirmed he would start in the number 23 jersey.
He had pain-killing injections and got his left shoulder heavily strapped.
The floater from Keary sends Tupou in for the first Try of the #NRLGF!#NRL pic.twitter.com/eR1AqFvhp9
— NRL (@NRL) September 30, 2018
Looked like Cooper Cronk was just doing all the talking in the huddle after that try. He might be buggered but he’ll be very important to the side #NRLGF
— Simon Brunsdon (@SimonBrunsdon) September 30, 2018
2 cooper cronk bombs + 2 errors = 2 roosters tries 🤷ðŸ»â€â™‚ï¸
— Josh (@joshiefairburn) September 30, 2018
I’m going for the Storm but gotta say Cooper Cronk certainly has a ton of courage. What a tough man. #NRLRoostersStorm
— Graham Perrett (@GrahamPerrettMP) September 30, 2018
Win or lose what an effort by Cooper cronk #differentgravy
— simon homer (@homedog85) September 30, 2018
Love the way the Roosters have taken the traditional halfback role and replaced it with a disembodied voice barking orders while floating around in the ghostlike body of Cooper Cronk #NRLGF
— The Oh Errol Girls (@oherrol) September 30, 2018
2018 NRL GRAND FINAL TEAMS
Roosters: 1 James Tedesco, 2 Daniel Tupou, 3 Latrell Mitchell, 4 Joseph Manu, 5 Blake Ferguson, 6 Luke Keary, 23 Cooper Cronk 8 Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, 9 Jake Friend (c), 10 Siosiua Taukeiaho, 11 Boyd Cordner, 7 Mitchell Aubusson, 13 Victor Radley
Interchange: 12 Isaac Liu, 14 Dylan Napa 15 Zane Tetevano 17 Ryan Matterson
Players cut: 16 Paul Momirovski, 18 Lindsay Collins, 19 Nat Butcher, 20 Sean O’Sullivan
Late Mail: Cooper Cronk starts at halfback in the No. 23 jersey. Mitchell Aubusson moves to the second-row and Isaac Liu drops to the bench, with youngster Paul Momirovski omitted.
Storm: 1 Billy Slater, 2 Suliasi Vunivalu, 3 Will Chambers, 4 Curtis Scott, 5 Josh Addo-Carr, 6 Cameron Munster, 7 Brodie Croft, 8 Jesse Bromwich, 9 Cameron Smith (c), 10 Tim Glasby, 11 Felise Kaufusi, 12 Joe Stimson, 13 Dale Finucane
Interchange: 14 Kenny Bromwich, 15 Christian Welch, 16 Brandon Smith, 17 Nelson Asofa-Solomona
Players cut: 18 Ryan Hoffman, 19 Jahrome Hughes, 20 Sam Kasiano, 21 Cheyse Blair
Late Mail: Melbourne Storm are 1-17.