The fallout continues from Cooper Cronk’s shocking announcement that he will leave the club at the end of 2017 season. The papers have focused on the mad scrambling of Sydney sides who are looking for a world-class halfback, but what has been glossed over, is the effect it will have on the Storm.
Few fans of other teams will lose too much sleep over the Storm suffering a player loss. The club has dominated for as long as I can remember. Although much of their success has been eradicated from history books, the fact remains, this side has been all class for many years.
Their success has been built on a mixture of an amazing culture, a brilliant coach, and three of the best players to every grace the game.
Billy Slater, Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk are three genuine future immortal possibilities. Smith has all but stamped his name on joining the game’s elite, although Slater and Cronk aren’t too far behind.
Cronk has led the Storm, as well as the Queensland and Kangaroos representative sides, to a plethora of success over the past decade-plus.
At the time of writing he had made 306 appearances for the Storm, as well as representing Queensland 19 times, and the Kangaroos on 31 occasions. He has two Dally M medals, a Clive Churchill medal and five Dally M halfback of the year awards. You can also throw in a Golden Boot, won in 2016.
Any way that you look at it, Cronk is a superstar of the game and sits proudly amongst the likes of Thurston, Lockyer and Johns as the best playmakers of the modern era.
His loss will be massive. The only series Queensland lost in the past decade was in 2014 when Cronk was sidelined due to injury. He returned in Origin 3 and helped return QLD to winning ways.
Any side faced with losing a player of Cronk’s ability can expect a downturn in results, at least in the short term. If the Cowboys lost Thurston, it would make a huge difference to their future outlook. The Sharks probably wouldn’t have won last year’s title without James Maloney. Imagine the Bunnie's title winning season without Adam Reynolds.
That said, if any team in the NRL’s modern era can move on quickly from a loss this big, it is the Melbourne Storm.
This is a side who had to shed the likes of Folau and Inglis, yet still remained super competitive, and even won titles.
In 2016, the Storm had only two of their “Big Three” weapons available for all but part of their season opener. They still managed to not only win the minor premiership but come within a play of winning the Grand Final.
The injury to Slater allowed Cameron Munster to develop into a genuine superstar himself. Although finding a playmaking halfback is more difficult than a running fullback, the Storm always adapt.
Munster himself may very well end up filling Cronk’s boots, at least in 2018. Slater looks to have regained his fitness and will likely play on into next season. You’d imagine he’ll do so at fullback, meaning Munster will have to revert back to the position it was thought he would fill in 2017, in the halves.
Young Ryley Jacks has started the season in brilliant touch, and could very well replace the man he is currently partnering in Cronk. Although he’ll likely return to the QLD Cup on Munster’s return, he has proven himself already during his short stint in first grade.
At 24, and having been overlooked at the Titans and Roosters for first-grade honours, another talented player has far exceeded previous expectations whilst at the Storm.
If Jacks and Munster aren’t seen as the long-term fix, Cronk’s early decision has allowed Bellamy and co plenty of time to recruit a replacement. Given the amount of talent off contract, combined with Bellamy’s record of turning regular players into stars, I wouldn’t bet against a formidable halves partnership in purple next season.
To think the Storm lost a try-scoring freak in Fijian international Marika Koroibete yet replaced him with a younger, faster try-scoring freak in Josh Addo-Carr sums it all up.
Can you imagine a younger, faster Cooper Cronk?
It’s hard to imagine he exists, but if he is out there and available, Craig Bellamy will find him.