Cronk will play in 2019

Cooper Cronk has put the rumours to bed by saying that he will be playing in 2019 and will consider extending his career an extra year.

Following the shoulder injury that hampered him in the grand final, there were reports that the Roosters halfback may opt to retire.

But Cronk today confirmed that he will be seeing out his contract for 2019 and may even play beyond next season.

“I’m not sure where that rumour came about that I wouldn’t be playing in 2019,” Cronk told the media.

“To be honest I never considered it, so I don’t know how someone else could consider that was a thought of mine.

“No matter what happened, if I was injury free I will always follow my word and be here in 2019.

“The surgery went really well, so I’ll be back on deck next year and hopefully have another consistent year for the Roosters.”

The 35-year-old has played 349 first grade games and has refused to put an end date on his career.

“I haven’t even got back to training and you are asking if next year is my last,” Cronk said.

“I haven’t had that conversation, but I’m not really sure, but I don’t think today is the day to decide.”

After undergoing shoulder surgery, the former Maroons and Kangaroos' legend believes he will be good to go for round 1 next season.

“It is good to go,” Cronk said.

“All back to normal so it’s all sweet.

“I ended up having some surgery and they did a bit of a delicate operation there, but it was all well worth it in the end.

“There were some complications with it, but the surgeon did a tremendous job and I’ll be back on deck ready to train in the new year.

“I’m just in the rehab phase at the moment and I need to get the strength and range of movement, but I’ll be ready to rock’n roll come season 2019.”

But Cronk believes that he would not of had surgery if he did retire after the grand final.

“It is a broken bone and it takes around 10 weeks to heal, but the surgery obviously fast tracks that,” Cronk explained.

“If I had have retired and wasn’t playing contact sport, they would have let it heal normally, but because of the break and the way it was displaced, the fact that I would be put in exactly the same position again meant we needed the surgery.

“From what I know it is even stronger, so I might actually make a few tackles next year.”