Cronk reveals which off-contract star should replace him at Storm

Departing Storm halfback Cooper Cronk has nominated who should replace him in Melbourne.

While Cronk will move to Sydney in 2018 to be with his fiancee Tara Rushton, he believes Gareth Widdop should be heading in the opposite direction.

The 28-year old Dragons playmaker has already been linked to a return to his former team, and now the man who partnered him in the halves for four years has given his approval.

"It’s a fit, because one, he knows the history of the club, he understands the game plan," Cronk told Fox Sports.

"He likes the players and the players like him. Craig Bellamy knows him, his wife’s family are all based in Melbourne, so it all fits there.

"The thing is, is that the direction the club and Craig want to go to? I’m not privy to those conversations but I’m sure that will be worked out in the coming weeks."

However, with the off-contract Widdop being chased by a number of other clubs, including the Wests Tigers, Cronk said his team would happily take another of the game's free agents.

Backing an earlier endorsement from Billy Slater, Cronk says Kieran Foran would be a great fit.

"From the outside looking in, it looks like a really good fit," Cronk said.

"He plays similar to the way I play, nice and direct to the line and puts his backrowers through holes.

"Billy would obviously like to run off someone like Kieran Foran, but I think there’s a few other things that come into the story of Kieran Foran.

"One, what’s his price tag considering he’s taken some time off to get himself better and then two, I think his family’s in the Sydney so that plays a part.

"Craig’s a pretty diligent coach and the recruitment staff will look at the right people and come up with the right option."

Foran is reportedly looking to move to Sydney to be closer to his family in 2018, but Storm fullback Slater said he'd love him to be moving to the Victorian capital instead.

"I think he would suit the style of play down in Melbourne," Slater told The Footy Show.

"Just the directness that he plays with would certainly suit our style of football as well."