CRONK SHUT OUT
COOPER CRONK pro- duced one of sport’s bravest performances in last year’s Sydney Roosters Grand Final win.
The Kangaroos international took to the field in the NRL’s unforgiving environment with a fractured shoulder blade – an injury more commonly linked with car crashes.
A specialist later said Cronk would have been in “11 out of 10 pain”, needing injections before and during half-time to get through the match.
Playing almost like an on-field coach, he wasn’t caught with the ball once, but somehow made nine tackles in defence as the Roosters beat Melbourne 21-6. Now fully recovered, one of the most decorated players in rugby league history will play in England for the final time in Sunday’s World Club Challenge against Wigan.
But basking in the glory of his September heroics is the last thing on Cronk’s mind.
Role
He said: “I haven’t watched any of my Grand Finals. I’ve never been one to pat myself on the back – the memories are there and I don’t think you need to rehash them.
“I’m so happy for the people at the Roosters – you can’t do special things unless there are special people involved.
“From the top to the bottom, everyone played their role in us having success on Grand Final day. People sacrificed things for me to come here.
“I wanted to pay back those people and while I only played a small part on the day, a lot of people played major parts.”
Cronk will be more influential on Sunday, having now had surgery on his shoulder, as the Roosters aim to equal Wigan and Melbourne’s record of four World Club titles.
The 35-year-old added: “There was a decision to be made whether to leave it, but there could have been an issue over it happening again so it was a no-brainer to have the operation.
“I respect the World Club Challenge, so it was all guns blazing for that game.”