We are only a few hours away from finding out whether or not Cooper Cronk is set to play in the NRL grand final.
Here, with a Roar exclusive, we see a day in the life of the country’s most meticulous sportsman.
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5:55am: Alarm. Glass of water ahead of ABC Radio National news at 6:00am.
6:00am: ABC Radio National news. Trump still backs Kavanaugh. Trump [Shakes head. ‘only in America’]*
6:15am: Breakfast. Smashed avo on rye. Plus grapefruit. Black coffee (Colombian).
6:40am: Sports update on ABC News Radio. “Cronk still in doubt.” [smiles and nods]
7:00am: Tunes into AM on ABC RN. Morrison still PM.
7:30am: Enters notes on iPhone XS Max. “5:55: Water. 6:15: avo, one slice of rye. Grapefruit. Coffee. (Black)”
9:00am: Completes Bronte to Bondi walk. Uber back home to Bronte.
9:25am: Adjusts dining table chair. Out of alignment. Flicks through Australian Financial Review. Has apple. Green.
10:05am: Rehearses line about God and science for 2pm press conference [Uncontrollable giggling. Well, uncontrollable in a #CronkBot kinda way.]
10:50am: Reads 10 pages of Ulysses.
11:20am: Right sock slightly higher than left. Squares up.
11:35am: Rehearses line from Trent’s email last night. Emphasis on sounding genuine: “I’ll do what I can to get on the field…getting better each day…it needs to…need to know basis.” [note to self: Must get laugh right.]
11:55am: Notices right sock has slipped again [grimace]. No other option. Replaces both socks.
12:05pm: Late brunch at Cafe Salina with Bondi Braith. Olives (three) and mineral water for #CronkBot (sparkling); corn and polenta fritters for Anasta, who jams in potato scallops and ketchup starter. Discuss life in the Eastern Suburbs (“How good?” “IKR”). Laugh about the Tigers funding Braith’s kitchen and bathroom renovation in 2014. The Mitchell Pearce off-season charade comes up again. More laughter.
1:10pm: Looks down. Socks aligned. [“Ah Cooper-man, you’ve done it again”]
2:00pm: Press conference at Allianz. Wearing a red sling. “Been at physio twice already…have three more lined up today…next is at 3:20pm this afternoon…eight sessions booked in for tomorrow…doing everything I can…God and science…need to know.”
Cooper Cronk. Robot. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
2:55pm: Allianz Stadium bathroom washing hands (since 2:47pm) and notices a wispy hair on top of ear. Eventually extracts. Hopes camera didn’t pick it up at the presser. Will check news tonight.
3:15pm: Walks into physio room. Journalists gathered. Gushing. “Hey Cooper!” He waves. Feet up and checks Twitter feed when inside. Black coffee. Laughs with physio.
4:30pm: Emerges from physio. Different sling. Blue. Winks at journos as he saunters by: “Still a chance, gentlemen” [“Cooper-man”]
5:15pm: Back home. Light yoga session in the second study then another 50. Ulysses. Not sit-ups.
6:10pm: Apple. Red.
6:55pm: Glass of water ahead of ABC TV news with Juanita Phillips. [pauses for a moment. “Juanita…”]
7:00pm: ABC TV news. Trump. Kavanaugh. Cronk. Juanita. [Mt Rushmore]
7:35pm: Forgoes The 7.30 Report to start Guardian cryptic crossword on iPad.
8:10pm: Stuck on 6-across. Swallows pride. Calls Dylan Napa.
9:15pm: Lentil soup and green tea for dinner. Three olives (sneaks in a fourth).
9:55pm: Brushes teeth. Winks at specimen in the mirror. [“Cooper-man”]
10:20pm: Checks hair. Hops into bed. Drifts to sleep listening to Phillip Adams.
* Today’s independent thought.
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