Cooper Cronk offers worrying news on grand final chances
Roosters fans, look away now.
Cooper Cronk has admitted he is a “long shot” to play in Sunday’s NRL grand final against Melbourne due to his shoulder injury.
After scans confirmed the 34-year-old had suffered “severe” damage to his rotator cuff in the Roosters’ preliminary final win over South Sydney, Cronk on Monday said he would do everything he could to be fit enough to face his former teammates.
“I can move it. The best thing to do is just immobilise it … I don’t know what my realistic chances are but I’m a long shot,” said Cronk, who had his arm in a sling at the Roosters media day.
“I’m a long shot. With all due respect, it’s on a need to know basis and right now you all don’t need to know.”
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“Am I 100 per cent going to be playing? No. Am I zero? No, it’s somewhere in amongst that.
“The pain when you’ve got the adrenaline during the game is something I can get through; the shoulder needs to function as well, though.”
Cronk said he’ll be in and out of the sling for most of grand final week.
“I think 80 per cent [recovery] is a decent number,” Cronk said. “I’ll go out there at 50 per cent, I’ll go out there at 30 per cent. The whole idea about this game is you get one opportunity to play off in grand final.
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“I’ve been fortunate enough to be a part of a few but there are guys on my team who haven’t. One of the driving forces for me at the back end of my career is providing moments for those kids who haven’t.”
Cronk said he’s confident he’ll make the right call.
“I like to think I’m not a selfish player,” he said. “I know what I can do and what I can’t do and I’ll be strong enough to make the decision
“There’s no doubt that if I don’t play whoever replaces me needs the repetitions but considering the magnitude of the game I’ll be given to kick-off I think.”
Cronk will be given until kick-off next Sunday to prove his fitness, after it was revealed he’d suffered a “severe left rotator cuff injury” in the 12-4 preliminary final win.
Rehabilitation began almost immediately for Cronk, who spent the majority of the second half with his left arm hanging by his side.
Brought to the Tri-colours to win a premiership, the 34-year-old must now defy the odds to play in the decider against his former Melbourne teammates.
with AAP