Cooper Cronk
Encyclopedia
Cooper Patrick Cronk is an Australian professional rugby league
footballer currently playing for the Melbourne Storm
of the NRL. An Australian international
and Queensland State of Origin
representative halfback, he has played his whole NRL career to date with the Storm with whom he won the 2007
and 2009 NRL Grand Final
s.
, South Brisbane from 1994–2001, where he represented the Schools the 1st XV rugby union
side for number of years.
In 2001, he was selected to play in the Queensland and Australian Schoolboys Teams.
Cronk was then selected to play in the Norths Devils
team. He quickly established himself in the Queensland Cup
and trained with the Storm Squad in 2003. He scored 37 tries for the Norths Devils
in the Queensland Cup
.
In 2006
, Cronk won the Dally M
Halfback of the Year award. He also played at half-back for Melbourne in the 2006 NRL Grand Final loss to Brisbane.
He finished a successful year in 2007 by achieving selection at halfback for the Kangaroos in the Centenary Test against New Zealand
at Westpac Stadium
, Wellington
in October.
In 2008, Cronk was called into the Australian Test Team to replace Jonathan Thurston who had twisted his ankle in training. Thurston later was cleared of injury and played in the test team over Cronk.
In August, 2008, Cronk was named in the preliminary 46-man Kangaroos squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
, however he was not selected to make an appearance.
When Cameron Smith
was sidelined by judiciary suspension during Melbourne's finals campaign of the 2008 NRL season, Cronk stood in as captain and captained the Storm in the 2008 NRL Grand Final defeat to Manly Sea Eagles.
In April 2009, he was named in the preliminary 25 man squad to represent Queensland in the opening State of Origin
match for 2009, however he was not selected to make an appearance.
He played in the 2009 NRL Grand Final
against the Parramatta Eels
, setting up 2 tries. This title was later stripped due to salary cap breaches.
Has been named as part of the Four Nations
team. Played for Australia in 2009 Four Nations Tournament in Australia against France
as a utility.
Surgery on his groin saw him miss Melbourne's appearance in the 2010 World Club Challenge
.
An injury to Johnathan Thurston
saw Cronk selected for the 2010 ANZAC Test
.
Cronk played off the bench as a utility for Queensland in the 2010 State of Origin Series
, playing in all three games. In Game II, he scored his first Origin try. He also played for Australia in the 2010 Four Nations.
Cronk also played in the 2011 State of Origin Series
. In Game I, he set up a try for Jharal Yow Yeh
and in Game III, he set up Greg Inglis
as well.
In 2011, Cronk played the tests against New Zealand at the Gold Coast and Newcastle on the bench. Cronk is part of the 2011 Rugby League Four Nations
tournament, playing off the bench when the Kangaroos played the Kiwis and England. Cooper Cronk has been selected to play Five-Eighth against Wales, with Johnathan Thurston
at halfback, resting Darren Lockyer
for the Four Nations Final. In the 2011 Rugby League Four Nations
between Australia and Wales, Cronk scored 3 tries and set-up 2 tries for Australia. He also played in the Four Nations Grand Final against England.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer currently playing for the Melbourne Storm
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....
of the NRL. An Australian international
Australian national rugby league team
The Australian national rugby league team have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the game in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League, the Kangaroos' are ranked number one in the RLIF World Rankings...
and Queensland State of Origin
Queensland rugby league team
The Queensland rugby league team have represented the Australian state of Queensland in rugby league football since the sport's beginnings there in 1908...
representative halfback, he has played his whole NRL career to date with the Storm with whom he won the 2007
2007 NRL grand final
The 2007 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive, premiership-deciding match of the 2007 NRL season. Played between the first-placed Melbourne Storm and second-placed Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles at Telstra Stadium on September 30, in front of 81,392 spectators. It was the fourth NRL Grand Final played...
and 2009 NRL Grand Final
2009 NRL Grand Final
The 2009 NRL Grand Final was a rugby league football game played on 4 October 2009 at the ANZ Stadium in Sydney. It was the 12th annual championship game of the National Rugby League staged to decide the premiers of the 2009 NRL season....
s.
Biography
Cronk attended St. Laurence's CollegeSt Laurence's College
St Laurence's College is an independent, Roman Catholic school for boys located in South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It was founded by the Christian Brothers in 1915...
, South Brisbane from 1994–2001, where he represented the Schools the 1st XV rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
side for number of years.
In 2001, he was selected to play in the Queensland and Australian Schoolboys Teams.
Cronk was then selected to play in the Norths Devils
Norths Devils
The Northern Suburbs Devils, Norths for short, are a rugby league club representing the northern suburbs of Brisbane, Australia. The team colours are sky blue, navy blue and gold. They play in the Queensland Wizard Cup, and, through their predecessors, are one of the oldest clubs in...
team. He quickly established himself in the Queensland Cup
Queensland Cup
The Queensland Cup is the premier rugby league football competition in the State of Queensland, Australia.It is a statewide competition with the majority of teams based in South East Queensland but also including sides based in Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton.The competition began in 1996 as a...
and trained with the Storm Squad in 2003. He scored 37 tries for the Norths Devils
Norths Devils
The Northern Suburbs Devils, Norths for short, are a rugby league club representing the northern suburbs of Brisbane, Australia. The team colours are sky blue, navy blue and gold. They play in the Queensland Wizard Cup, and, through their predecessors, are one of the oldest clubs in...
in the Queensland Cup
Queensland Cup
The Queensland Cup is the premier rugby league football competition in the State of Queensland, Australia.It is a statewide competition with the majority of teams based in South East Queensland but also including sides based in Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton.The competition began in 1996 as a...
.
Senior playing career
Cronk made his debut for the Storm in 2004, starting as a utility back coming off the bench and playing at five-eighth, hooker and lock.In 2006
National Rugby League season 2006
The 2006 NRL season was the 99th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the ninth run by the National Rugby League. The lineup of teams remained unchanged from the previous year, with fifteen clubs competing for the 2006 Telstra Premiership...
, Cronk won the Dally M
Dally M Medal
The Dally M Medal is the premier individual award in the Australian rugby league competition, which is given to the player voted by sports commentators as the best and fairest in the competition for that year....
Halfback of the Year award. He also played at half-back for Melbourne in the 2006 NRL Grand Final loss to Brisbane.
He finished a successful year in 2007 by achieving selection at halfback for the Kangaroos in the Centenary Test against New Zealand
New Zealand national rugby league team
The New Zealand national rugby league team has represented New Zealand in rugby league football since intercontinental competition began for the sport in 1907. Administered by the New Zealand Rugby League, they are commonly known as the Kiwis, after the native bird of that name...
at Westpac Stadium
Westpac Stadium
Westpac Stadium, is a major sporting venue in Wellington, New Zealand. Due to its shape and silver coloured external walls, it is colloquially known as The Cake-Tin to the locals and other New Zealanders...
, Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
in October.
In 2008, Cronk was called into the Australian Test Team to replace Jonathan Thurston who had twisted his ankle in training. Thurston later was cleared of injury and played in the test team over Cronk.
In August, 2008, Cronk was named in the preliminary 46-man Kangaroos squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
, however he was not selected to make an appearance.
When Cameron Smith
Cameron Smith
Cameron Smith is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently captains the Melbourne Storm of the National Rugby League...
was sidelined by judiciary suspension during Melbourne's finals campaign of the 2008 NRL season, Cronk stood in as captain and captained the Storm in the 2008 NRL Grand Final defeat to Manly Sea Eagles.
In April 2009, he was named in the preliminary 25 man squad to represent Queensland in the opening State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
match for 2009, however he was not selected to make an appearance.
He played in the 2009 NRL Grand Final
2009 NRL Grand Final
The 2009 NRL Grand Final was a rugby league football game played on 4 October 2009 at the ANZ Stadium in Sydney. It was the 12th annual championship game of the National Rugby League staged to decide the premiers of the 2009 NRL season....
against the Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
, setting up 2 tries. This title was later stripped due to salary cap breaches.
Has been named as part of the Four Nations
Four Nations
Four Nations may refer to:*Rugby League Four Nations - an international rugby league tournament.**2011 Rugby League Four Nations - The next scheduled series....
team. Played for Australia in 2009 Four Nations Tournament in Australia against France
France national rugby league team
The France national rugby league team represent France in international rugby league tournaments. They are also sometimes referred to as "Les Tricolores" or more commonly "Les Chanticleers"...
as a utility.
Surgery on his groin saw him miss Melbourne's appearance in the 2010 World Club Challenge
2010 World Club Challenge
-Teams:-Match details:-First half:Leeds almost scored early in the first half when Brent Webb ran over but he was held up by Luke MacDougall on the last tackle. Soon after they posted the first points with a penalty goal to captain Kevin Sinfield. Soon after Melbourne drew level with a penalty goal...
.
An injury to Johnathan Thurston
Johnathan Thurston
Johnathan Dean Thurston is an Indigenous Australian professional rugby league footballer in the NRL with the North Queensland Cowboys whom he co-captains...
saw Cronk selected for the 2010 ANZAC Test
2010 ANZAC Test
The 2010 ANZAC Test was a rugby league test match played between Australia and New Zealand on 7 May 2010. The match coincided with the official opening of AAMI Park in Melbourne. The match was won by Australia with a score of 12–8.-The teams:...
.
Cronk played off the bench as a utility for Queensland in the 2010 State of Origin Series
2010 State of Origin series
The 2010 State of Origin series was the 29th year that the annual best-of-three series of interstate rugby league football matches contested between the Queensland and New South Wales representative teams was played under 'State of Origin' selection rules...
, playing in all three games. In Game II, he scored his first Origin try. He also played for Australia in the 2010 Four Nations.
Cronk also played in the 2011 State of Origin Series
2011 State of Origin series
The 2011 State of Origin series was the 30th annual best-of-three series of interstate rugby league football matches between the Queensland and New South Wales representative teams contested under "State of Origin" selection rules. Game I was played in Brisbane, Game II was played in Sydney and...
. In Game I, he set up a try for Jharal Yow Yeh
Jharal Yow Yeh
Jharal Yow Yeh is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Brisbane Broncos of the National Rugby League...
and in Game III, he set up Greg Inglis
Greg Inglis
Greg Inglis is an Australian professional rugby league player for the South Sydney Rabbitohs. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative outside back, Inglis joined the Rabbitohs in 2011 after much controversy.Inglis is a versatile back, having played in several...
as well.
In 2011, Cronk played the tests against New Zealand at the Gold Coast and Newcastle on the bench. Cronk is part of the 2011 Rugby League Four Nations
2011 Rugby League Four Nations
The 2011 Rugby League Four Nations tournament was the third staging of the Rugby League Four Nations tournament and was played in England and Wales during October and November of 2011...
tournament, playing off the bench when the Kangaroos played the Kiwis and England. Cooper Cronk has been selected to play Five-Eighth against Wales, with Johnathan Thurston
Johnathan Thurston
Johnathan Dean Thurston is an Indigenous Australian professional rugby league footballer in the NRL with the North Queensland Cowboys whom he co-captains...
at halfback, resting Darren Lockyer
Darren Lockyer
Darren Lockyer is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer. He was the captain of the Australian national team, the Queensland State of Origin team and his National Rugby League club, the Brisbane Broncos. His professional career spanned between 1995 and 2011...
for the Four Nations Final. In the 2011 Rugby League Four Nations
2011 Rugby League Four Nations
The 2011 Rugby League Four Nations tournament was the third staging of the Rugby League Four Nations tournament and was played in England and Wales during October and November of 2011...
between Australia and Wales, Cronk scored 3 tries and set-up 2 tries for Australia. He also played in the Four Nations Grand Final against England.
Career highlights
- 2004: First Grade Debut – Round 9 Melbourne Storm v Cronulla SharksCronulla SharksThe Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are Australian professional Rugby league team based in Cronulla, in the Sutherland Shire, Southern Sydney, New South Wales...
at Olympic ParkOlympic ParkAn Olympic Park is a sports campus for hosting the Olympic Games. Typically it contains the Olympic Stadium and the International Broadcast Centre. It may also contain the Olympic Village or some of the other sports venues, such as the aquatics complex in the case of the summer games, or the main...
, 8 May - 2007: International Tests – selection for Australia v New Zealand, 14 October, Wellington, New Zealand
- 2009: International Tests – Bench for Australia v France, 8 November, Paris, France
- 2010: International Tests – Halfback for Australia v New Zealand, 7 May, Melbourne, Australia
- 2010: State of Origin – Interchange for QLD v NSW
- 2011: State of Origin – Interchange for QLD v NSW
- 2011: Dally M Halfback of the Year