'Broken right through the bone': Horror extent of Cronk injury revealed

The horrifying extent of Cooper Cronk’s shoulder blade has been revealed after an extraordinary performance in the NRL grand final.

Cronk produced what’s been labelled the greatest ‘non-performance’ of all time to lead the Roosters to premiership glory over the Storm on Sunday.

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The inspirational halfback was lauded for his performance in the decider, guiding his side to a 21-6 win despite barely lifting a finger.

In extraordinary scenes, Cronk didn’t run the ball once and made just a handful of tackles.

But the guidance and leadership he showed in directing his side around the park was priceless.

After the match, coach Trent Robinson revealed just how bad Cronk’s injury was, revealing his shoulder blade, or scapula, was “broken right through the bone.”

“After the game on Saturday night, we knew it was a fractured scapula – it was broken right through the bone,” Robinson said.

“We told the players Sunday morning, told them to keep it quiet.

“Most people, you wouldn’t be able to play with a fractured scapula right through the bone.

“We trained without him all week.

“Friday morning, he was still trying to get to the game and then Friday morning he ruled himself out with me and said ‘I don’t think I can make it’.

“He went and saw a doctor Friday afternoon, he rang me that night on the way home and he said ‘I’m in’. But he couldn’t train Saturday, he would’ve been too sore from the Friday afternoon workout.

“He got (painkilling) injected pre-game and halftime.

“It’s the toughest thing I’ve seen from an individual to go out there and play like that with a fracture like it was. It was incredible. Strong man.”

Roosters skipper Boyd Cordner first revealed that Cronk had a broken scapula (shoulder blade) in his post-match interview.

“He actually broke his scapula. That will go down in history. That is a big performance from him,” Cordner said of Cronk.

“He was touch and go right up until game time.

“We had to come up with a gameplan to protect him as much as possible, and we executed that.”

Roosters coach Trent Robinson described it as the toughest display he’d ever seen, while Phil Gould was in awe in commentary.

“This has been the greatest on-field coaching performance I’ve ever seen,” Gould said.

“The Roosters have played with 12 men and one on-field coach.

“He’s just told his teammates exactly where the Storm are going and how to stop them.

“It’s one of the best non-performances I’ve ever seen.”

Fans flooded social media to praise the ‘extraordinary’ performance.