Cronk’s great gift for Easter
COOPER Cronk will make an emotional return to AAMI Park for the first time since walking out on the Melbourne Storm as part of a blockbuster Easter weekend of rugby league in 2019.
The NRL has scheduled its Roosters versus Storm grand final rematch for Good Friday, April 19, on a day that will also feature traditional Easter rivals South Sydney and Canterbury at ANZ Stadium.
The spectacular holiday weekend of football will also include the very first rugby league game at the new Western Sydney Stadium on the Monday afternoon between the Parramatta Eels and the Wests Tigers that is expected to sell out within days of tickets going on sale.
The 2019 NRL draw will be released at 11am today.
Cronk’s departure from Storm to the Roosters, that caused the bitter falling out with his former Storm, Maroons and Kangaroos skipper Cameron Smith, will no doubt fill AAMI Park.
The grand final replay will follow the Rabbitohs versus Bulldogs game as part of a blockbuster Fox Sports TV double- header.
“That’s an awesome result for our club,” said Storm CEO Dave Donaghy when News Corp informed him of the Good Friday schedule.
“I’m sure they’ll rock up in good numbers to see Coops again. The good guys normally get a good reception when they return home but this might be a bit different after the grand final.”
Cronk had surgery last week on his broken shoulder blade that he took into the grand final.
He will undergo three months of physiotherapy and be ready to play in the trials or round one next season.