NRL legend Cooper Cronk is no stranger to success, with six grand final victories to his name across stints with the Melbourne Storm and Sydney Roosters.
There was one week however in the lead up to the 2018 Grand Final that had Cronk feeling one edge heading into another Grand Final appearance.
After playing 13 seasons in Victoria, Cronk moved up to Sydney with his family in 2018 to play for the Chooks.
In his first season with the Roosters, the 37-year old broke his scapula in the 2018 preliminary final win over the South Sydney Rabbitohs and was very sceptical of his own health heading into a premiership decider against his old side.
"It was the most nauseating time, Iโm usually pretty interactive with people. Iโm cool and calm and I go out and play," Cronk said on theย Matty Johns Podcast.ย
The former Australian halfback could not lift his arm in the lead up to the Grand Final and went to rule himself out of the match before an injection turned it all around.
"That afternoon a miracle happened, the injection worked and all of a sudden I could lift my arm above my head," the 372-gamer said.
"Next thing I know, Iโm wrestling the physio down the local parkโฆ Iโd talked the talk all week so I had to walk it, thatโs when my nerves kicked in."
"Once the team wanted me to play I was like 'woah, Iโm in trouble hereโ."
Cronk would then go on to start at halfback for the Roosters and play an instrumental role in their 21-6 win over his former teammates, and tally a fifth NRL premiership [although the first two were stripped later on].
"(Winning the 2018 grand final) was the weirdest good moment of my life if you know what I mean," the two-time Dally M medallist claimed.
"You should be carrying on doing cartwheels, but I just wasnโt. It was a crazy week and itโs not something I ever want to go through again."
The 37-year-old would go on to win another premiership with the Roosters the next season, making it back-to-back premierships for the Tri-colours in his final year, capping off one of the greatest careers in Rugby League history.