Cooper Cronk is open to offers after putting Storm on hold

[nacho]

definitely would not want to lose cronk. he epitomises what it is to be a storm player - along with billy and cameron. those 3 players are also the only players left from a squat as close back as 2004 - that is a huge turn over and a good effort to keep a core 3.

[sallymay]

im just gonna say one thing....according to a friend who is trained by coopers GF Eli They are getting pretty serious and her business is going pretty good in personal training therefor my conclusion is coops wants to set his new Family up for after footy my hope is cause her business is going well he will want to stay at the storm but really personal training can be moved interstate in an istant

[mystormboys]

Reading elsewhere Broncos are putting money aside for Coops - we will just have to wait and see

[tugga]

If he can get $850k a season, he would be mad not to accept it.

[riders of the storm]

It'll be interesting to see where this speculation leads. Remember, there were rumours about him leaving to join the Eels a while ago, however they were proven false. This next contract is the most important one of his career and will probably be where he retires.

[nacho]

eventually he will leave, thats just reality

if he left now then our future half, whether it be from our own ranks or bought, will have the opportunity to form a connection with billy and cameron

if crank hangs around there is a risk that he leaves when billy or cameron leaves and then our half has a lot of pressure on his shoulders, at least with the big 2 hanging around he can be helped - hell he would probably even develop a similar game to those 2

[LESStar58]

Woody makes a good point about a cap increase based on a TV rights increase. There will be an increase by I'm afraid neither Gallop, Grant or The IC will have the pull with the networks to get the game what it is truely worth...

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[mattstormy]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl ... 6252767213

The Broncos are not making a play to sign Cronk for 2013 and have decided to stick with Peter Wallace.

[CooperCronk]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl ... 6252767213

The Broncos are not making a play to sign Cronk for 2013 and have decided to stick with Peter Wallace.

Didn't the Broncos initially also say they were not in the hunt for GI?
Yet they still made a play for him before he went to the Bunnies.

[Storm Spirit]

http://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl ... 6252767213

The Broncos are not making a play to sign Cronk for 2013 and have decided to stick with Peter Wallace.

Didn't the Broncos initially also say they were not in the hunt for GI?
Yet they still made a play for him before he went to the Bunnies.

Oh Yeah....the Shoncoes are in the hunt.....BIG TIME

[mystormboys]

Read elsewhere the Melbourne Rebels are after him aswell. Sorry dont know how to repost the article. Heard Cameron on SEN the other day probably me but he didnt sound overly confident in keeping him

[absentee]

Read elsewhere the Melbourne Rebels are after him aswell. Sorry dont know how to repost the article. Heard Cameron on SEN the other day probably me but he didnt sound overly confident in keeping him

Here's the article:

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... 1qjjx.html

Rebels crank up battle for union son Cronk
Josh Rakic
January 27, 2012

HE IS THE most valuable player on the NRL market, but now the Melbourne Storm must fend off the attention of a rival code as well as competing league clubs in their battle to retain star playmaker Cooper Cronk.

The Herald understands the Melbourne Rebels are preparing a bid for the off-contract 28-year-old, with English import Danny Cipriani is on the outer in Melbourne and unlikely to be re-signed beyond this season.

Indeed, some officials at the franchise and the Australian Rugby Union would not shed a tear if he departed Australian shores before the end of the coming Super Rugby season, both parties believing the serial bad boy is not a good influence on or off the field for star youngsters James O'Connor and Kurtley Beale.

The Herald has been told Rebels officials view Cronk as the perfect acquisition, given his history in rugby and his status in Melbourne.

Chief executive Steve Boland played down the move, insisting the Rebels could not afford to make a play for the 2001 Australian Schoolboys playmaker. But with a number of stars off contract in 2012, including Cipriani and Stirling Mortlock, who is likely to retire and take on a coaching role, and with the help of the ARU, the private franchise is expected to have ample room to make a genuine offer to Cronk.

The Herald understands someone close to the Rebels has already made an approach to the halfback.

It is understood ARU officials are admirers of Cronk, who grew up playing rugby and played alongside former Wallabies five-eighth Matt Giteau. It is also understood the ARU will not stand in the way of a play for another NRL star, given Cronk's history in rugby and would be open to helping facilitate a deal that would see the St Laurence's College product return to rugby after 10 years in league.

With Wallabies No.10 Quade Cooper and his manager Khoder Nasser holding the ARU to ransom by agreeing to only a one-year contract extension that expires this year, Cronk shapes as the cool head, talent and stability the Wallabies require as they prepare for the 2013 Lions tour.

Cooper, after helping inspire Queensland to last season's Super Rugby title and playing a part in Australia's first Tri Nations series victory in almost a decade, threatened to leave the Wallabies and sign an $850,000 NRL contract with Parramatta.

The Herald understands Cooper earns more in rugby than he would do in league, meaning there is more than enough money in the coffers to secure at least one of the playmakers.

Cronk was destined for international rugby before Brisbane Broncos coach Anthony Griffin persuaded him to join Melbourne Storm feeder club Norths Devils. Griffin's long-standing relationship with Cronk as the man who discovered him has resulted in the Broncos delaying talks with halfback Peter Wallace in the hope of luring the incumbent Kangaroos halfback back to Queensland. Storm officials are said to be resigned to losing him.

Cronk grew up playing rugby and began playing league at 18 before becoming the starting No.7 at the Storm in 2007. In the NRL, the Broncos, Rabbitohs and Eels all in contention for his services.

ARU recruitment officials return to work on Monday, while Cronk's manager, Chris Orr, is yet to begin negotiations on behalf of his client, who returned to training only last week after holidaying overseas.

[Michael :P]

Typical union. Cronk grew up playing league
Only played onion when he went to some snotty nosed GPS school in Brisbane.

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[LESStar58]

Cronk going to the kick and clap code would be the greatest waste of talent ever. Having said that he'd walk on to the Wallabies side!

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[mattstormy]

If Cronk goes to union, he'll be back in the NRL 2 years later. I can't think of any NRL player that defected to union stay there for the rest of their career.

Cronk will regret it if he goes to union.