‘He’s a great footy mind’: Keary defends Cronk as pressure mounts on Roosters’ attack

Luke Keary want people to calm down after claims were made that Cooper Cronk’s coaching may have led to Sam Walker’s demotion.

Teammates are backing Sam Walker to bounce back after he was dropped ahead of next week’s Anzac Day game against the Dragons.

Luke Keary has dismissed suggestions that coaching consultant Cooper Cronk and Sam Walker have had a falling out, with the Roosters veteran backing the young gun to bounce back after he was surprisingly dropped this week.

Keary and Cronk won two premierships together, with the former Storm playmaker now working with the Roosters halves to ensure their long-term success.

Their usually crisp attack has gone cold to start the year, with only the winless Tigers scoring fewer points in the opening seven rounds.

The Roosters looked lost in attack in their back-to-back defeats to the Storm and Sharks, prompting coach Trent Robinson to drop his 20-year-old halfback to reserve grade.

Luke Keary has defended Cooper Cronk after the champion halfback was accused of trying to stifle Sam Walker’s style of play. Picture; Brett Costello

Their usually crisp attack has gone cold to start the year, with only the winless Tigers scoring fewer points in the opening seven rounds.

The Roosters looked lost in attack in their back-to-back defeats to the Storm and Sharks, prompting coach Trent Robinson to drop his 20-year-old halfback to reserve grade.

It’s easy to forget that the Roosters had similar problems in attack during Cronk’s first season in 2018 when they struggled for points in the opening seven rounds before they were soundly beaten by the Dragons on Anzac Day.

“We went through this a little bit with Coops,” Keary said, denying there has been any tension between Cronk and Walker at training.

“He came with a certain style, and the Roosters have a certain style. The Roosters had to adapt for Coops, and Coops had to adapt a little bit for the Roosters so there was a bit of give and take.

Cronk has worked closely with Trent Robinson and the halves since he retired. Picture; Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

“Sammy is such a young player and he’s learning that Roosters style of play, plus we want him to bring that Sam Walker style of play.

“I don’t think anyone is trying to turn him into a different player. It’s just that balance about the team, bringing your own attributes and meshing it together.

“Coops is good. I had the two years with him and I learnt so much off him. He’s still in there now and he’s a big mentor of mine both on the field and off the field.

“Anything I need footy wise or not footy wise, I know I can pick up the phone and he’ll answer it straight away. He gives me the advice that I need. He’s a great footy mind, but he’s a great person too.”

Walker will go back to reserve grade this weekend with no timeframe on when he’ll return to the NRL.

The 20-year-old hasn’t had the same impact on games as he did last year, but Keary is confident that Walker will fix a few things after a fairly hectic introduction to first grade as a teenager.

Keary is confident Walker will bounce back after he was dropped to reserve grade. Picture; NRL Imagery

“He would be (doing it tough). He’s a really good kid and he’s taken it well. I had a good chat with him and he’s in a good place. He’ll be fine,” Keary said.

“He’ll go away and work on his game. He’ll go through with the coaches what he needs to work on. The Sam Walker I know, he’ll be fine. He’ll go back and work really hard and he’ll get his way back in.

“He’s been through a lot. He came into grade at such a young age. He came through the COVID period, he went from schoolboy footy and skipped 20s and reserve grade.

“He came straight into first grade and he’s learnt a lot of lessons on the run that other kids would have learnt through Jersey Flegg and reserve grade. He flipped back to the bench in that first year he started and he’s played great in some big games.

“He’s going to be fine. We all know the talent he is.”

Manu has been well contained in recent weeks, but he should be a lot more dangerous now that he’s moved closer to the action. Picture; Graham Denholm/Getty Images

Walker’s demotion sees Golden Boot winner Joseph Manu shift to five-eighth where he’ll get his hands on the ball a lot more after he was held to just 62 metres last week.

He played two games in the halves last year, including a dominant display against the Dragons in Gosford where he scored two tries in a 54-26 rout.

His move to the halves will allow Keary to take more control, and skipper James Tedesco hopes the changes will see him and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii get more involved after some quiet performances.

“They are strike centres and we want their hands on the ball as much as possible,” he said of Manu and Suaalii.

“Even for me, I feel like my involvement hasn’t been that high. It’s on all of us as a team, it’s not just throwing it out to Joey and let him do his thing.”

Originally published as ‘He’s a great footy mind’: Keary defends Cronk as pressure mounts on Roosters’ attack