Cooper Cronk

Cooper Cronk

Cronk while playing for the Storm in 2010
Personal information
Born	5 December 1983 (1983-12-05) Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Height	178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight	89 kg (14 st 0 lb)
Playing information
Position	Halfback, Five-eighth
Club
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
2004–	Melbourne Storm	184	50	1	7	209
Representative
Years	Team	Pld	T	G	FG	P
2007–11	Australia	14	6	0	0	24
2010–11	Queensland	6	1	0	1	5
2012	NRL All Stars	0	0	0	0	0
Source: Rugby League Project

Cooper Patrick Cronk (born 5 December 1983 in Brisbane, Queensland) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer currently playing for the Melbourne Storm of the NRL. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative halfback, he has played his whole NRL career to date with the Storm with whom he won the 2007 and 2009 NRL Grand Finals.

Biography

Cronk attended St. Laurence's College, South Brisbane from 1994–2001, where he represented the Schools the 1st XV rugby union side for number of years.^{[citation needed]}

In 2001, he was selected to play in the Queensland and Australian Schoolboys Teams.

Cronk was then selected to play in the Norths Devils team. He quickly established himself in the Queensland Cup and trained with the Storm Squad in 2003. He scored 37 tries for the Norths Devils in the Queensland Cup.

Senior playing career

Cronk made his debut for the Storm in 2004, starting as a utility back coming off the bench and playing at five-eighth, hooker and lock.

In 2006, Cronk won the Dally M Halfback of the Year award. He also played at half-back for Melbourne in the 2006 NRL Grand Final loss to Brisbane.

He finished a successful year in 2007 by achieving selection at halfback for the Kangaroos in the Centenary Test against New Zealand at Westpac Stadium, Wellington in October.

In 2008, Cronk was called into the Australian Test Team to replace Jonathan Thurston who had twisted his ankle in training. Thurston later was cleared of injury and played in the test team over Cronk.^{[citation needed]}

In August, 2008, Cronk was named in the preliminary 46-man Kangaroos squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup, however he was not selected to make an appearance.

When Cameron Smith was sidelined by judiciary suspension during Melbourne's finals campaign of the 2008 NRL season, Cronk stood in as captain and captained the Storm in the 2008 NRL Grand Final defeat to Manly Sea Eagles.

In April 2009, he was named in the preliminary 25 man squad to represent Queensland in the opening State of Origin match for 2009, however he was not selected to make an appearance.

He played in the 2009 NRL Grand Final against the Parramatta Eels, setting up 2 tries. This title was later stripped due to salary cap breaches.

Has been named as part of the Four Nations team. Played for Australia in 2009 Four Nations Tournament in Australia against France as a utility.

Surgery on his groin saw him miss Melbourne's appearance in the 2010 World Club Challenge.

An injury to Johnathan Thurston saw Cronk selected for the 2010 ANZAC Test.

Cronk played off the bench as a utility for Queensland in the 2010 State of Origin Series, playing in all three games. In Game II, he scored his first Origin try. He also played for Australia in the 2010 Four Nations.

Cronk also played in the 2011 State of Origin Series. In Game I, he set up a try for Jharal Yow Yeh and in Game III, he set up Greg Inglis as well.

In 2011, Cronk played the tests against New Zealand at the Gold Coast and Newcastle on the bench. Cronk is part of the 2011 Rugby League Four Nations tournament, playing off the bench when the Kangaroos played the Kiwis and England. Cooper Cronk has been selected to play Five-Eighth against Wales, with Johnathan Thurston at halfback, resting Darren Lockyer for the Four Nations Final. In the 2011 Rugby League Four Nations between Australia and Wales, Cronk scored 3 tries and set-up 2 tries for Australia. He also played in the Four Nations Grand Final against England.

Career highlights

• 2004: First Grade Debut – Round 9 Melbourne Storm v Cronulla Sharks at Olympic Park, 8 May
• 2007: International Tests – selection for Australia v New Zealand, 14 October, Wellington, New Zealand
• 2009: International Tests – Bench for Australia v France, 8 November, Paris, France
• 2010: International Tests – Halfback for Australia v New Zealand, 7 May, Melbourne, Australia
• 2010: State of Origin – Interchange for QLD v NSW
• 2011: State of Origin – Interchange for QLD v NSW
• 2011: Dally M Halfback of the Year

External links

• Melbourne Storm Player Profile
• Official NRL Player Profile