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Time for Cooper Cronk to come clean

8th October, 2017
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Who is set to secure the services of Dally M Medallist Cooper Cronk? (AAP Image/Paul Miller)
Expert
8th October, 2017
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Cooper Cronk’s future, without doubt, is the hub of rugby league conversation in this post NRL season.

Will the 34-year-old play on for another club or will he hang up his boots and sign a long-term contract with Fox as a presenter, just like his fiancee Tara Rushton? – the reason for leaving the Storm to live in Sydney.

My advice to the super talented Cronk is grab the Fox offer as rugby league’s clear leader in television coverage with a dedicated channel.

Cronk has already proved to be an exceptional presenter during his recent trial appearances.

But if that option doesn’t appeal at the moment, and he’s keen to keep playing in the NRL, and for Queensland and Australia, it’s long overdue to make that decision because careers in potential clubs can dramatically affect current players.

If he’s toying with the Roosters. Mitchell Pearce would have to move on.

If it’s Penrith, Nathan Cleary, who must be the NSW Origin halfback next season, may be forced to join his father at Wests Tigers, where the pairing of Cleary and new recruit Josh Reynolds would be dynamic.

If it’s Newcastle with plenty of salary cap available, Cronk would be a superb addition.

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But there’s one major drawback to Penrith and Newcastle – the travel.

There’s no point in Cronk basing himself near either club or that would defeat the purpose of being with his fiancee, the only reason why he left the Storm.

Souths, Cronulla, the Bulldogs, and West-Tigers have also been mentioned as Cronk possibilities, but only the Tigers would have room in their salary cap.

And the possible pairing of Cronk and Reynolds would give the Tigers firepower after losing Mitchell Moses to Parramatta, James Tedesco to the Roosters, and Aaron Woods to the Bulldogs.

So the more you look into the Cronk possibilities, the only safe and secure for the long term is the road to the Fox Sports studios at St Leonards.

He’d feel right at home with Yvonne Sampson, Matty Johns, Michael Ennis, Corey Parker, Mark Gasnier, Blocker Roach, Brandy Alexander, Billy Moore, Mal Meninga, Justin Hodges, Kevin Walters, Benny Elias, Tony ‘Spud’ Carroll, Danny Buderus, Gorden Tallis, Ben Ikin, and Sampson’s offsiders Lara Pitt, Jess Yates, and Hannah Hollis.

Plus the rugby league journos in Buzz Rothfield, Paul Kent, James Hooper, Crash Craddock, Paul Crawley, and Andrew Webster.

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That’s an unbeatable team on a dedicated channel – wall to wall rugby league.

I’ll miss the talent of Peter Sterling’s On the Couch, who has now signed full time with Channel Nine.

In short, just substitute one champion halfback for another – such are the vagaries of the media business.

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