Cordner backs Cronk capture
BOYD Cordner insists the Roosters would be able to juggle Cooper Cronk and star halves Mitchell Pearce and Luke Keary in the same side with the Australian halfback expected to confirm a switch to Bondi in coming days.
Cronk’s Kangaroos team-mate and Roosters co-captain has spoken to Pearce at length since Cronk announced he would explore his options to play on in Sydney next year, putting the NSW No7 firmly in the gun.
But despite the challenging dynamic for Roosters coach Trent Robinson, Cordner stressed there would be no reason why Cronk, Pearce and Keary – as well as hooker Jake Friend – couldn’t play in the same team.
‘‘If a player like Cooper Cronk comes on the market and you can get him for a good deal, I think you’d be silly not to look into it,’’ Cordner said.
‘‘If it does end up happening or to be true, you’re going to benefit from a guy like Cooper Cronk coming to your club, there’s no GETTY IMAGES doubt about it.
‘‘If it does happen and there can be a way to have all three halves playing in the same team, I think if you can make it work then what a force. But it’s a long way away and nothing has been set in stone. Like I said, it’s all speculation at the moment.’’
That speculation should reach a resolution within the week with Cronk and his Australian teammates headed north to take on France in Canberra next weekend after labouring past a brave England in the tournament opener on Friday night.
The Cronk sweepstakes has dominated much of the build-up, to the point where his premiership-winning team-mate Billy Slater suggested it was disrespectful to international rugby league’s showpiece.
Cordner conceded he has not spoken to Cronk about the issue – preferring to give the 33-year-old his own space in camp – but he has counselled Pearce as other clubs watch his situation with interest.
‘‘I’ve spoken to Pearcey a couple of times and just out of respect to him I think the right thing to do is keep that between me and him at the moment,’’ Cordner said.
‘‘I don’t find it a hard spot at all. I think that what’s happened has happened. You have to face it because that’s reality. That’s what happens in football. At the end of the day it’s a business. Pearcey is one of my best friends, I’ll support him 100 per cent of the way.’’
There were only a couple of glimpses, but Cordner showed how destructive he could be running off Cronk’s left shoulder as a rusty Kangaroos put England to bed late in a 18-4 win in Melbourne.
The win was soured by a potentially serious pectoral injury to lock Jake Trbojevic.
‘‘Any injury is bad, but any injury you need to have surgery on is definitely going to test you mentally,’’ Cordner said. The Sun-Herald GETTY IMAGES the best of players but Tongan mentor Kristian Woolf says Taumalolo is focused solely on sparking a maiden Cup finals berth for the side.
‘‘Jason handles everything terrifically, that is why he is such a good player,’’ Woolf said. ‘‘None of the talk in the media has fazed him. One thing I know about Jase is that he does his best talking on the field.’’
Woolf said he wasn’t sure whether Taumalolo’s loyalties would remain with Tonga after the Cup.
All he knew was Tonga would make the most of their time with the NRL superstar.
‘‘Realistically it doesn’t bother me one bit [if he returned to New Zealand],’’ Woolf said.
‘‘He has made a strong decision at the moment, a decision a lot of people wouldn’t make.’’
The scenario sets the stage for an epic grudge match when Tonga take on New Zealand in a November 11 pool match in Hamilton.
But Woolf said they wouldn’t be taking Scotland lightly as Tonga look to finally qualify for the finals at their fifth Cup.
The world No 11 side are suddenly tournament dark horses after Taumalolo and Kangaroos X-factor Andrew Fifita opted to join them.
The squad also features Will Hopoate, Konrad Hurrell, Manu Vatuvei, Daniel Tupou and Michael Jennings. - AAP
‘ You’re going to benefit from a guy like Cooper Cronk coming to your club.’ BOYD CORDNER