GRAND OLD COOPER
Cronk ready for final fling
ON the verge of retirement, Cooper Cronk will more than likely always be considered the lesser light among that pre-eminent Storm quartet of Smith, Slater, Inglis and Cronk.
But heading into his ninth grand final on Sunday, Cronk should be a beacon to any aspiring NRL player who may not possess a body enriched by natural talent.
Converted into a halfback by coach Craig Bellamy after Matt Orford left the Storm at the end 2005, Cronk became the best through sheer hard work, self-education and commitment.
His value to the Melbourne machine is vindicated by the fact that since he departed, the Storm have not won a premiership, yet by Sunday night the halfback may well have added two more to his trophy cabinet.
NO CHARGE: While stunned that Siosiua Taukeiaho and Nelson Asofa-Solomona were last week sin binned for what appeared yet another minor infringement, I was gobsmacked that neither was charged by the Match Review Committee. Did no-one at NRL HQ hear Taukeiaho, during an interview on its own website, say the words ‘punches were thrown’? Cameron Smith, who has been an ornament to the game in his 516 appearances at the elite level, must still be shaking his head in disbelief.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: ‘I think it’s time to move on’ came from the mouth of NRL Match Review Committee co-ordinator Michael Buettner when announcing he was stepping down from the role after eight years. Doubtless, too many with an opinion on how the MRC has operated of late would disagree with the former Eels, Bears (North Sydney), Northern Eagles and Tigers utility.
BIG MAL’S HATS: Mal Meninga must have the biggest hat stand on the Gold Coast, and on Sunday he will add another headpiece to his diverse collection. Big Mal’s current roles in rugby league include Kangaroos’ coach and selector, PMs XIII selector, Titans’ head of Performance and Culture, columnist for The Courier Mail and Fox NRL analyst. He can now enhance that list with the distinguished title of 2019 NRL grand final Viking horn blower, an honour befitting the Raiders’ first premiershipwinning captain.
ILL-LODGE-ICAL: Whoever at the Broncos thought it opportune to fly the kite of Matt Lodge being a potential captain in 2020, obviously lives in a bubble. While the Broncos appear limited in their
leadership options, neither the club nor Lodge needed the negativity the suggestion attracted. Or maybe the kite flyer is smarter than we critics think. Perhaps it was merely a ruse to take pressure off the 58-0 finals thrashing and pokiegate?
CLEAN PEA: One pre-GF revelation that tweaked my interest was that referee Ben Cummins preserves his 30year-old whistle by regularly washing the pea in boiling water and vinegar. Cummins will be controlling his fifth grand final on Sunday and will be using the same whistle he has blown since he started
as a 16-year-old (he is now 44). Washing the pea in vinegar, he says, helps keep it hard – and noisy.
MAROON SNUB: Queensland’s bleak NRL year was accentuated at the Dally M Awards night with just three northerners among the 65 players/coaches nominated for gongs in the 13 various categories. Payne Haas led the charge with the 19-yearold named Rookie of the Year and Prop of the Year, while Jason Taumalolo was a nominee for Lock of the Year and Francis Molo one of those listed for Interchange Player of the Year.