43 Facts About Cooper Cronk

1.

Cooper Patrick Cronk was born on 5 December 1983 and is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s.

2.

Cooper Cronk won the Dally M Medal as the NRL's player of the year in 2013 and 2016, the Clive Churchill Medal as best player in the 2012 NRL Grand Final, the Golden Boot Award as international player of the year in 2016, and the NRL's Dally M Halfback of the Year on five occasions.

3.

Cooper Cronk attended St Laurence's College, South Brisbane from 1994 to 2000, where he was in the School's 1st XV rugby union side for a number of years.

4.

Cooper Cronk started his career playing Rugby Union in Brisbane.

5.

Cooper Cronk was selected to play in the Australian Schoolboys squad along with former Wallaby captain Rocky Elsom.

6.

In 2001, Cooper Cronk was selected to play rugby league for Queensland and Australian Schoolboys teams.

7.

Cooper Cronk was then selected to play in the Queensland Cup's Norths Devils team.

8.

Cooper Cronk quickly established himself in that competition and trained with the Storm Squad in 2003.

9.

Cooper Cronk scored 37 tries for the Norths Devils in the Queensland Cup.

10.

Cooper Cronk played at half-back for Melbourne in the 2006 NRL Grand Final loss to Brisbane.

11.

In 2008, Cooper Cronk was called into the Australian test team to replace Jonathan Thurston who had twisted his ankle in training.

12.

When Cameron Smith was sidelined by a NRL Judiciary suspension during Melbourne's finals campaign of the 2008 NRL season, Cooper Cronk stood in as captain and captained the Storm in the 2008 NRL Grand Final defeat by Manly Sea Eagles.

13.

Cooper Cronk played in the 2009 NRL Grand Final against the Parramatta Eels, setting up 2 tries.

14.

Cooper Cronk was named as part of the Four Nations team and played for Australia in 2009 Four Nations Tournament in Australia against France as a utility.

15.

An injury to Johnathan Thurston saw Cooper Cronk selected for the 2010 ANZAC Test.

16.

Cooper Cronk played off the bench as a utility for Queensland in the 2010 State of Origin Series, playing in all three games.

17.

Cooper Cronk played for Australia in the 2010 Four Nations.

18.

In 2011, Cooper Cronk played the tests against New Zealand at the Gold Coast and Newcastle on the bench.

19.

Cooper Cronk was part of the 2011 Rugby League Four Nations tournament, playing off the bench when the Kangaroos played the Kiwis and England.

20.

Cooper Cronk has been selected to play Five-Eighth against Wales, with Johnathan Thurston at halfback, resting Darren Lockyer for the Four Nations Final.

21.

Cooper Cronk played in the Four Nations Grand Final against England.

22.

At the 2012 Dally M Awards Cooper Cronk was named the NRL's halfback of the year.

23.

Cooper Cronk kicked the game and series-winning field goal in the final minutes of the third State of Origin match in 2012.

24.

Cooper Cronk was selected as starting halfback for the annual ANZAC Test match between Australia and New Zealand in Canberra, playing at halfback for Australia.

25.

On 1 October 2013, Cooper Cronk was named the Dally M Player winning by two points in front of Queensland teammates Johnathan Thurston and Daly Cherry-Evans and Cronulla Sharks five-eight Todd Carney.

26.

Cooper Cronk was named the Dally M Halfback of the Year.

27.

Cooper Cronk broke his arm in the opening minutes of Game I of the 2014 State of Origin series on 28 May 2014.

28.

On 30 August 2014, Cooper Cronk played his 250th game for Melbourne Storm, a feat achieved by only 3 others players at the club.

29.

On 26 June 2016, Cooper Cronk became only the fifth NRL player in history to record 200 wins in a 29 to 20 win over the West Tigers.

30.

On 24 September 2016, in Melbourne's grand final qualifier against the Canberra Raiders, Cooper Cronk became just the 25th NRL player to notch up 300 first grade games.

31.

At the annual Rugby League Dally M awards on 28 September 2016, Cooper Cronk was named the Dally M Player of the Year for a second time after winning his first in 2013.

32.

Cooper Cronk tied with North Queensland Cowboys prop Jason Taumalolo to win.

33.

Cooper Cronk was crowned Dally M Halfback of the Year earning the honours for the fifth time in his careers.

34.

On 4 April 2017, Cooper Cronk made the announcement that the 2017 NRL season would be his last for the Melbourne Storm, stating he would move to Sydney; Cooper Cronk emphasised that this was purely based on family reasons rather than football-related reasons.

35.

Cooper Cronk then became the first player to win consecutive premierships with two different clubs in the NRL era, having won the 2017 Grand Final with Melbourne and 2018 Grand Final with the Roosters starting at halfback in both games.

36.

Cooper Cronk became the first player in the modern era to have three consecutive grand final appearances.

37.

On 6 October 2019, Cooper Cronk played his final game of Rugby League in the NRL for the Sydney Roosters in the 2019 NRL Grand Final.

38.

Cooper Cronk did that, and set the record for three consecutive grand finals in the modern era, furthermore Cronk is the only player in the NRL era to have won three consecutive premierships, additionally is one of thirteen players who have won consecutive Premierships.

39.

Cooper Cronk was revered by the Rugby League community for his achievements within the game, to win six NRL Grand Finals from nine games.

40.

On 7 November 2019, Cooper Cronk was recruited into the GWS Giants coaching staff as a 'leadership consultant'.

41.

Cooper Cronk was set to begin his consultancy 2019 in preparation for the Giants' 2020 AFL season.

42.

Cooper Cronk has been employed as a part-time coaching consultant at both the Sydney Roosters and Melbourne Storm, with his role seeing him mentor players at both clubs.

43.

Cooper Cronk married television sports presenter Tara Rushton in December 2017.