Cooper Cronk confident he will be fit enough to face Melbourne in NRL grand final
COOPER Cronk is set to make a startling recovery from injury with the Roosters halfback declaring he will “back” himself to play in Sunday night’s grand final.
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COOPER Cronk is set to make a miraculous recovery from injury with the Roosters halfback declaring he will “back” himself to play in Sunday night’s grand final against former club Melbourne.
The former Queensland Origin maestro was given little hope of playing in the decider after suffering what Roosters medicos described as a “severe” shoulder injury in last week’s defeat of South Sydney.
But Cronk is quietly confident he can defy the odds and win the injury battle, just as he did two years ago when he overcame an ankle injury to play in the 2016 Origin series opener.
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Cronk is getting five hours of daily treatment and is so determined to get the green light from doctors he is prepared to test his battered shoulder out by tackling Roosters 113kg monster Dylan Napa.
While admitting he still faces an uphill battle, Cronk was noticeably more bullish when asked if he would back himself to take on his former Storm teammates.
“As soon as it (the injury) happened, I backed myself to play,” Cronk said.
“I didn’t even know what was wrong with me and I backed myself.
“I will tell you now, the only reason why I won’t play on the weekend is because I will be physically incapable of doing it.
“It will get to a point where I can probably make the decision (to play) myself, but I’d like my teammates to help me make that decision.
“Some people say I’m a selfish player but I’d like to think I’m not and I’ll do the right thing by the team.”
If Cronk is in serious pain, he isn’t showing it. He walked into Thursday’s grand final press conference looking far fresher than the man who winced in agony when he was patted on the shoulder by the Roosters mascot last Saturday night.
In 2016, Cronk managed to overcome a rolled ankle in the space of seven days to play in Origin I. The former Storm star is making no promises, but admits he is taking his powers of recuperation to a new level.
“I am more confident, but how long is a piece of string,” he said.
“We have a couple of improvements and we will definitely need some more. I am still trying to throw a Hail Mary, but hopefully it lands and we will see how we go on Sunday.
“The Hail Mary doesn’t mean definite, but most people know I am pretty professional and diligent with what I do.
“I’ve gone up 1000 knots on that this week.
“If there is a will, I will find a way and we will see how we go come Sunday.”
Storm coach Craig Bellamy knows Cronk’s pain threshold better than anyone and backed his former schemer to play.
“We are preparing as though he is,” Bellamy said. “I have never been involved with a more diligent player so I know he will be doing everything to be ready for Sunday.
“He is a tough little Rooster, excuse the pun, if anyone is going to do it, it is going to be ‘Coops’.”
Roosters coach Trent Robinson added: “I have a gut feel about any player and then there’s Cooper Cronk.
“I haven’t seen him with an injury at our club, but the average player wouldn’t play on Sunday.”
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Originally published as Cooper Cronk confident he will be fit enough to face Melbourne in NRL grand final