Parramatta great Peter Sterling has warned his former club not to sign Cooper Cronk.MORE: Kidwell's telling response to Taumalolo question | Blair discusses Bennett and BellamyCronk confirmed late last week that he will play on in 2018 after enjoying a Premiership-winning finale at the Storm.The Kangaroos and Queensland veteran has been most closely linked to the Roosters, but Parramatta has emerged as a genuine option.But Sterling says the Eels have plenty of talent in the halves and should look at improving in other areas."I don't think Parramatta need Cooper Cronk," Sterlo said on Triple M."I don't see the fix there. I don't see the attraction."To me, the future of Parramatta for many years to come is Corey Norman and Mitchell Moses.ADVERTISEMENT"The improvement they made in a very short period of time in the second half of this season under the coaching od Brad Arthur was fantastic."They finished in the top four. I don't think you mess with that combination. You're getting them to play as much football together - they are the future six and seven of the Eels and I hope they're going to be around each other for many seasons to come."Sterling argued that the Eels would be better off looking for options in the forward pack."If I'm Parramatta, I'm looking to sign a Matt Scott or a Jesse Bromwich rather than a Cooper Cronk," he said."I think they need another class front-rower to bolster that up - I know they've got Kane Evans coming."You just look at what your club needs and that's what you base your recruitment on."

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  • Junior Paula and a good centre!!!
  • Cronk not going to harm our chances, but he not a essential signing. Some of our forwards need to be moved on, F Pritchard one B Scott another, I think a quality we need a forward leader & good meter eater.
  • Up to Brad and if he is genuinely interested in Cronk, it's really outta place for Sterlo to publicly boohoo it.
  • Sterlo is respected and you would think always has Parra's interest at heart.

    I am not surprised that he recognises we do not need a half but surprised he has not recognised we need that special experience in game management that we still lack. the Prop forward situation is an oxymoron, but they don't grow on trees.

    Unlike others I see Cronk as a maker of Moses....not sure about Norman but he may have to be the price we pay to have that winning experience.

    If we do not get Cronk it is not the end of the world but it demonstrates that BA sees that same need somewhere in our structure. The Cronk's of the world don't come around that often.

    I still like the idea of the Morris twins and the elusive prop to give us that experience, I am concerned when some people believe we need to move Beau Scott on, do they realise the difference he makes to our defence when he comes on.

    Yes he is in the twilight of his career but until we can get that same impact off any of our backrowers or middle forwards, we need him.

    I think we need to remind ourselves that the true club loyalty that we grew up with is a thing of the past, we have done very well with players who are slightly past their used by date and still need them to bring our younger players through.......if we got 2 to 3 years out of the Morris twins their experience would be great for our up and comers and it's not like they are pensioners yet.

    When you get a little older you start to realise that instant gratification is not always possible.

  • Sterlo not talking up a halfback, that's it we must sign Cronk.
  • Peter Sterling is probably my all time favourite Eels player. From seeing him in the Commonwealth Bank Cup to his last games with the Eels a great player who just continued to improve with age. However he has opted to pursue his commentary career and shun any approach to be involved in the Eels and I hold the utmost respect for him to make that decision and he has conducted his career as a commentator with class in my opinion.

    However his opinion on the attempt by the Eels to recruit would be based I would think as an outsider looking in not on discussions that he has had with the coaching staff. That being the case he is unlikely to understand the rationale behind the chase for Cronk's signature.

    There could be many reasons why the Eels, Brad Arthur, has gone after Cronk, maybe the persistent rumours about BA being unhappy with Norman are true, maybe he sees Cronk as an opportunity to get some quality in the team to change the mindset of the current group and add some professionalism. Maybe it is a ruse to recruit other players such Napa or Crichton.

    It maybe that the club also see Cronk as a Commercial opportunity to turn around the damaged Eels brand. Whatever is the reason for the Eels to take this plunge for Cronk, Sterling as an outsider looking in should do with his opinion on recruitment the same as he does with his coaching tips and keep them to himself.

    • John, Sterlo responded to the question about his involvement or not with the eels a few years back by saying that he has always been there when asked by the coach to come in and help out with any of the players, the thing also was that he did not see himself as a coach per see, and has made a career away from the club.

      Certainly the fact is of his being the greatest eel #7, which has also been a rod on the back of every other 7 that has played in that position ever since, not of his doing other than his ability and greatness but more on the expectations of the eels supporters over the years.

      Cronk could help out in areas that you suggest also with each of the current halves as well as the younger brigades that are in the Juniors, thing is that where does Cronk see his future after his playing days are finished, to me that may be the arena in which he is looking to.  He could be very much a help to not just the halves but also to the 9's at the club as well, that is if he sees himself in coaching roles.

      The caveat with Sterlo's comment really is Norms, he is in many ways the key in this whole issue, if as you mention the rumours on him are true then, is this news a pawn to play that if Cronk comes Norms will be shown the door and it depends there on the evidence against him, but it may also be a warning signal to him as well, as he's on his last chance.

      • Good points made by both John Eel and you Huss.

        As outsiders looking in, that's us, you can't sum it up much better than that.

    • Honestly John I think this was a beat up by the journos. We are one of a few clubs to have money left in the cap and they lumped us in with a few other teams. I doubt we seriously considered signing him.

  • I think sterling raises some good points; and its all about opinions.

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