Case of no half measures
Cronk ready to step up despite dilemma
QUEENSLAND’S illustrious scrumbase faces total decimation with Cooper Cronk admitting he is no guarantee to continue his Origin career next season.
Cronk will celebrate a special milestone in Origin I this Wednesday night when he becomes the 27th Maroons player to receive the Dick “Tosser” Turner Medal for reaching 20 Origin games.
Champion pivot Johnathan Thurston will retire from representative football after this year’s World Cup – and Maroons coach Kevin Walters was banking on Cronk to stabilise the scrumbase next season.
But with Cronk moving to Sydney next year to be closer to fiancee Tara Rushton, the Storm stalwart insists he will not be rushed into any decision on his NRL, Origin and Test future.
In recent years, Darren Lockyer, Petero Civoniceva and Justin Hodges have enjoyed official Origin farewells at Suncorp Stadium – but Cronk would be happy to walk away from the Maroons without fanfare.
“Johnathan Thurston can lead that ticker-tape parade. I’ll just sit straight in behind him,” Cronk said.
“I’ve been fortunate with the career I’ve had and anything I do from here on is an absolute blessing.
“If I stopped tomorrow I’d be a happy man.
“That’s my approach to it. If it (his retirement from Origin football) happens, it happens. “I’m not being a bad actor. “I don’t want to be rude or anything but I’m not doing backflips about it ... life is great.
“I haven’t really thought about it being my last series or anything like that but I won’t know that (if he will quit representative football this year) until this series has past.
“I think I play each game on its merits and have a bit of fun and give everything I’ve got.
“That won’t change whether it’s my last (Origin series) or a few to go.”
It was Lockyer’s retirement in 2011 that cleared the path for Cronk to become a starting halfback at Origin level.
He is now regarded as Queensland’s playmaking talisman, but Cronk admits he never expected to clinch the “Tosser” Turner Medal.
“There were a few stages where I thought one (game) was never possible but I’m grateful for it,” he said.
“It was probably a blessing in disguise (having to serve his apprenticeship off the bench for two years) because you see a lot of young halves come in probably a little bit too early and struggle with consistency and form.
“For me, the best thing I ever did for my Origin career was play six games off the bench and defend in the middle third of the field and tackle anything that ran at me and take big hit-ups when I had to.
“I very much appreciate every player and staff that’s played a part in me playing those 20 games because to be honest, it’s 20 of the most memorable games I’ve ever had in my career.”
Cronk vowed to accept even more responsibility in Origin I in the absence of Thurston.
“It’s devastating to lose him,” he said.
“Johnathan Thurston has been front and centre of everything that the Queensland Origin side has done for 30odd games – he’s never missed one – but on Wednesday night he’s not going to be there.
“We have to pick up the slack, get the job done and there’ll be no excuses.”