SPECULATION about the future of his teammates has enraged Melbourne Storm halfback Cooper Cronk, who called the reports "garbage".
Cronk has been linked to Parramatta, which declared its interest in the playmaker, as well as the Melbourne Rebels rugby union franchise, which has denied it is chasing him.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/cooper-cronk-rubbishes-eels-talk/story-e6frf9if-1225885387965
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Its actually more about the speculation of whether the players knew what was going on or not.
If anything this gives me further confidence that he might be shown the door.
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/no-gaz-so-knights-jo...
'Meanwhile, Parramatta have confirmed their interest in Cronk and will discuss plans to try and entice the Storm star at a board meeting tonight.
Parramatta coach Daniel Anderson will attend the meeting and chairman Roy Spagnolo said he would be asked to outline his recruitment strategy to replace Kris Keating, Feleti Mateo and Krisnan Inu.
The Eels yesterday signed North Queenland's Manase Manuokafoa for the rest of this season and 2011. He will fill the gap left by the retirement of Nathan Cayless. But Spagnolo said the club's main priority was finding an experienced halfback to play alongside Daniel Mortimer.
''The club hasn't had a top halfback since Peter Sterling,'' Spagnolo said. ''But Cooper Cronk could give us that. We're just waiting to see what happens with Melbourne but we're definitely interested in Cronk.''
Spagnolo said Anderson regularly provided written reports to the board but would attend tonight's meeting to speak to the directors in person'.
Worries you a bit though that this wasn't done months ago aye? Like honestly we let all these players go and we havn't yet even put something to the board saying why.
They are either monumentally confident of securing Cronk regardless of all other offers he is likely to attract or they are just crossing their fingers and hoping for the best. If they don't get Cronk, it will be a struggle for 2011 and beyond until a proven number 7 becomes available again...
We need to be selective in what we do with our halves. We haven't made the right choices in 24 years, if we had we would have won a premiership.
Okay so it is confirmed that we are hunting Cronk, fantastic. But there are so many variables in getting Cronk here that we all know about, which is why you would have to think the Club are either completely retarded orrrrrrrr that they are reasonably confident that he will be released, or have a contingency plan.
It appears though that we are putting all our eggs in one basket for an all or nothing shot at him. After Cronk who is there actually available? Sure we could go by a young NYC half with potential but we have already let one 21 year old playmaker go and we still have another two playing 1st grade right now.
There is the continued link with Orford but honestly, we would only get one season out of him, he's injury prone and well past his best anyway. People will say but he can help develop Mortimer/Humble which is true, but neither of them are halfbacks anyway imo.
The only other player who I would consider, (and he wouldn't break the bank which would allow us to hunt another forward and utility back) would be Micheal Dobson who has been playing (and killing it) in England for the last 2 seasons. I always thought that he was a talent at the raiders and had some outstanding games at the club. He just seemed to be overshadowed by Carney and Campese even though he often out performed them, at the raiders I just don't beleive he had the cattle around him to make anything happen consistently. He has said he wants to come back to OZ next season is only 24 and has been playing 1st grade since he was a teenager, obviously the raiders would be his first choice (and they need a HB) but I honestly can't think of anyone else of his calibre available as a contingency plan after Cronk of course.
The way I see it is that by letting so many players go the club is trying to freshen the culture at the club, I believe our lazy culture has been a major aspect to our inconsitency over the last 10 years or so. The players we have chosen to re-sign are not necessarilly our best players but ones that have shown great attidude i.e Fui, Burt, Mortimer.
The majority of players who come into our first grade team are juniors, thus are already acclimatised to it when they make the grade. By bringing in new players i.e Poore, Shackleton and then more this season (hopefully) we are slowly eroding away at the slack culture. Especially players like Poore who had been under Bennett and Cronk who has been nurtured under Bellamy.
We'll have to wait in hope I guess.
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