Cooper Cronk to leave Melbourne Storm at season’s end, seeks Sydney club

MELBOURNE Storm legend Cooper Cronk has sensationally revealed he will leave the club and move to Sydney at season’s end. WATCH HIS ANNOUNCEMENT

MELBOURNE Storm superstar Cooper Cronk says his decision to move to Sydney at the end of the season is based on family and not rugby league.

While mentally and physically fit enough to play on somewhere else, Cooper, 33, said after 14 years in Melbourne it was time for him to stop being “selfish” in his approach to rugby league.

Cooper Cronk announces he will quit Melbourne Storm at the end of the season. Picture: Tony Gough

“I’ve been at Melbourne Storm for 14 years and this will be my last season in Melbourne,” Cronk said.

“If it was a football decision, I’d be staying here for a long period of time.”

Cronk’s fiance, Fox Sports presenter Tara Rushton, is based in Sydney for work.

The legendary 306-game halfback today said it was getting harder for him to continue shuttling to and from Harbour City between Storm committments.

“There’s a few things in life that’s more important than football,” Cronk said.

“I’ve been pretty selfish in my approach to my football career and I think it’s time I put someone else and something else first.

“I’m jealous of the guys who have their families here, who have their loved ones (and) have football in the same city.

“Unfortunately whichever side you sit on it’s time for me to try and prioritise my time and my future.”

Cooper Cronk made the decision to leave Melbourne in order to support fiance Tara Rushton. Picture: AAP

If Cooper Cronk leaves the Storm for another club, I'll lose respect for him. Sorry, but I will.

— Sami ⚡ (@StormFanSami) April 4, 2017

I thought that Cooper Cronk headline was a late April Fools joke. Wow wee.

— Henry de Cure (@hcdc93) April 4, 2017

Going to be seeing "Cooper Cronk to *insert Sydney team*" all season now 😂

— Jake (@JakeWhite16) April 4, 2017

I love that Cooper Cronk sees his girlfriend's career as important as his...and decides to move for her. Freaking awesome man! #ThanksCooper

— Cate Ellink (@CateEllink) April 4, 2017

So is Cooper Cronk leaving the equivalent to Buddy Franklin or Patrick Dangerfield changing clubs? Or a mixture of the two??

— John Donohoe (@jdonohoe12) April 4, 2017

So what do I do with this? Has been my favourite player for years and honestly I can't see that changing #thankscoops @storm #coopercronk pic.twitter.com/3gMHV6Beeu

— Mark Boxsell (@markpwolves) April 4, 2017

Cronk has been an orchestrator in three Storm grand final wins — two of which were stripped by the NRL for salary cap breaches — across a 14 season career, appearing in 306 games and scoring 88 tries.

Cronk paid tribute to coach Craig Bellamy and Storm teammates including Cameron Smith and Billy Slater.

“To Craig, Cameron and Billy, you talk about the’Big Three’, in my eyes they’re probably the real ‘Big Three’... im a distant relative,” Cronk said.

“I think they’re the three most influential people in the club’s history.”

The tripod will become two at the end of the season when Billy Slater and Cameron Smith lose Cooper Cronk.

Bellamy said it wasn’t easy to hear his star charge had made a tough decision

Cronk’s departure will stir Sydney-based NRL clubs into frenzy, circling the blockbuster free agent.

Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy said it was hard to hear his star charge was moving on.

Cooper Cronk played a big role in the Storm’s win over Penrith on the weekend. Picture: AAP

“What I do next year is up in the air. I feel fit enough, I feel mentally strong enough,” Cronk said.

“But I’d been wrestling with this decision about playing on or not playing on here in Melbourne.

“In terms of what happens next I sit here in front of you today completely honest I actually don’t know.”

‘Goodbye, Storm fans: Cooper Cronk has announced he will move to Sydney at season’s end. Picture: AAP

Cronk was named the 2013 Dally M medallist. Picture: AAP

Originally published as Cooper Cronk to leave Melbourne Storm at season’s end, seeks Sydney club