Cooper Cronk wins NRL grand final with Roosters despite broken scapula

THE Sydney Roosters have finally revealed the full truth behind the injury Cooper Cronk carried into the NRL grand final.

Paul Crawley

4 min read

October 1, 2018 - 5:39AM

Cooper Cronk of the Roosters talks to teammates during the 2018 NRL Grand Final.

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TRENT Robinson last night applauded Cooper Cronk’s courage in the wake of a heroic performance in the Sydney Roosters’ grand final triumph.

“I have never seen a guy as mentally strong as Cooper,” Robinson declared.

And in lifting the lid on the fact Cronk had played with a busted shoulder, Robinson also exposed how the Roosters’ produced their very own version of a rugby league rope-a-dope in the 21-6 victory over Melbourne.

Cronk’s grand final effort will forever go down in the game’s folklore after it was revealed he had played out the match with a fractured scapula suffered in the first half of the preliminary final win over South Sydney.

Cooper Cronk directs traffic in the NRL grand final.

But Cronk’s courage was only part of the backdrop to an amazing story that inspired every single player in the Roosters squad.

None more so than halves partner, Luke Keary, who walked off ANZ Stadium with the Clive Churchill Medal as man of the match.

Robinson revealed: “I said (to the players) in the change room, (Keary’s) performance was big (last) Sunday morning.

“We were really honest (after the Souths game).

“Not with you guys, but with the players.

“Sunday morning we knew that (Cronk’s injury was not a rotator cuff).

“But that was a good way for us (to take the pressure off).

“Luke got his head on straight away.

“Honestly, he was a man possessed from Monday.

“He won that Clive Churchill Medal sometime on Sunday night.”

Keary had said all week that he didn’t care if Cronk played or not.

But all he was really doing was motivating himself for the performance of his life.

And as for his injured partner, Cronk said last night’s performance was about repaying the faith the Roosters had shown in him.

From the day the club made the decision to bring him to Bondi that ultimately led to Mitchell Pearce leaving.

“This club and everyone involved from the top to the bottom sacrificed a hell of a lot for me to come here,” Cronk said.

“My personality is I took a whole lot of responsibility on that.

“Nick (Politis), Trent, all the way to the senior players to the last person on our list.

“They all sacrificed something for me to be here.

“So my duty was to try and repay then with a little bit of faith.

“In terms of the injury, yeah, it was sore … to be honest, on Friday night, I have to give my wife (Tara) a fair bit of credit.

Cooper Cronk played with a broken scapula.

“She basically told me, ‘what are you carrying on about, you have just been given a chance to play in a grand final’.

“I basically took that advice.

“Yeah, there was some injections.

“Yeah, there was some ice.

“Yeah, there was some treatment.

“But it was based around these guys sacrificing something for me to come here.”

And the performance from the Roosters all over the park rose on the back of Cronk’s sacrifice also.

For years the Storm have built their reputation on being a team that never ever loses its cool.

But last night they fell apart as the Roosters’ dominance in attack and especially defence forced them into uncharacteristic errors.

For years the Roosters have been accused as a club that attempts to buy its way to success.

But last night’s victory showed the character and commitment to each other Robinson has built in this team.

Cooper Cronk played tonight with a fractured scapula (shoulder blade). To put this into some perspective, Josh Reynolds missed 5 weeks earlier this season with what was described as â€œa very small fracture in his scapulaâ€. Seriously unbelievable #NRLGF
â€” NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) September 30, 2018

Fractured scapula for Cronk matches initial thoughts on mechanism of injury. Usually a 4-8 week injury. Wouldâ€™ve fought through significant pain and lack of function all game #NRLGF https://t.co/yj3oGPiNHQ
â€” NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) September 30, 2018

Robinson said if Cronk didn’t make it on the field the plan was going to be to play Mitch Aubusson in a similar role to what Cronk ultimately played and allow Keary to take control of the team.

But instead Aubusson and right edge centre Joseph Manu lifted their performances to take the pressure off Cronk.

And all over the field others chimed in.

Co-captains Jake Friend and Boyd Cordner were inspirational, as was fullback James Tedesco and Blake Ferguson, who was playing his last game for the Roosters before joining Parramatta next season.

Robinson labelled Cronk’s effort “the toughest thing I’ve seen from an individual to go out and play like that. With a fracture like it was, it was incredible. He is a strong man.”

And in a way, Cronk’s injury became the Roosters’ secret weapon.

Some suggested Cronk’s individual input was hardly more than that of a passenger, or an on field coach.

But that totally understated the significance of him just being out there had on his teammates.

Phil Gould labelled it “one of the best non-performances I have ever seen”.

No tries. No runs. No points.

Just eight tackles beside his name after 80 minutes.

Cronk was not the best player on the field last night.

That honour belonged to Keary.

Still, if Cronk doesn’t play, the Roosters don’t win.

Politis told us last week that Cronk’s performance in the preliminary final victory over South Sydney was the bravest he had ever seen by a player wearing the club’s colours.

Then along came this.

As Robinson said, it was the stuff of legend.

Cooper Cronk and Cameron Smith during the 2018 NRL grand final. Picture: Brett Costello

COOPER CRONK ON THE INJURY

“I am not going into details. The whole idea is you work so hard and these boys worked extremely hard from the outset.

“Everyone at this football club has sacrificed something for me to be here. I don’t take that responsibility lightly, that was the motivation.”

Playing ... and in a new role

“We didn’t know if I would be able to play. It was only a last-minute thing that we could get through a few things and do that.

“The boys trained all week without me playing and the whole idea was to use me as a decoy or because if they didn’t see me as a threat ... Luke Keary was outstanding tonight, everything was set up for him to have the game of his life and he delivered.”

Most painful moment

“When Nelson (Asofa-Solomona) ran at me and when (Joe) Stimson ran at me. I have never made a dominant tackle in my career so I shut my eyes and go for the best.”