‘Cold-hearted’ Cronk not shedding finals tears
COOPER Cronk is turning “robot” this finals series, with the Melbourne maestro eliminating emotion from his game before deciding his future.
The halfback remains on course for a sweet Storm sayonara after the minor premiers’ nervy 18-16 victory over Parra- matta on Saturday night.
While Cronk will leave Melbourne at season’s end, the 33year-old isn’t getting swept up in talk of fairytale finales.
“I’m not really allowing myself to think about it (next year),” he said.
“I’m not allowing myself to be on the ups and downs thinking ‘is this going to be my last game?’.
“I’m being really robotic and cold-hearted about it and putting the blinkers on.”
While insisting he has not spoken to rival clubs, Cronk hinted he’s already been sounded out about his future.
The Maroons veteran said he has not allowed himself to begin thinking about next year until after the finals.
“I haven’t had any discussions with any clubs,” he said.
“The whole thing for me is to not lead someone down a garden path and then say I don’t want to play.
“I leave that (approaches from rivals) up to my agent.
“I don’t know if I’ll play on next year ... but if I finished tomorrow I’d be a pretty content guy.”
Saturday night’s victory was dedicated to Cronk’s long-time teammate Cameron Smith, who edged past Darren Lockyer with a record-breaking 356th NRL appearance.
Smith, too, removed emotion from the hyped occasion.
“A lot of people buy into the emotional side of it ... so I think Cameron has a great ability to compartmentalise those things,” Cronk told ABC radio.