Cooper Cronk and his Rooster connection

[Thirteen]

Pearce out and Cronk in.

Sounds pretty good to me.

As mentioned earlier in this thread, Cronk is just the person to mentor our young halves in the lower grades.

Happy for Radley to be thrown in also. Friend is yesterday's hero.

Radley is not a 9. Sure he can back up if needed but 9 is not his position.

[Bronterooster]

Of course it would be nice to have more depth in the forwards, which club wouldn't want that? I think the issue for us has been getting our forwards all playing well at the same time. Napa and JWH should be the most fearsome front row combo in the game, Boyd is Boyd and we know what he brings and SST can be as good as anyone when he's on. Throw in Liu, Tetavano, Aubo, Matterson (when they're not in the centres) and that's a pretty good list of forwards. Those players should be dominating other packs but it just didn't happen this year, except for a few 15 minute stages during the odd game here and there.

Maybe this comes down to the forwards themselves, maybe it's the coaching or the style they play, or maybe the key playmakers and organisers are to blame. It could be bit of everything or it could be something else altogether, I really don't know?

I would like a forward in our pack who can offload, or at least give some of our existing forwards the licence to off load. I'm still not giving up on Nat Butcher as a future part of our team and being the type of player that we need. His off season surgery last year really threw his year out. I'm looking forward to seeing him next year with the benefit of a full off season under his belt. I just like his 'intent to offload' mindset, something none of our other forwards seem to have.

Like Thirteen said Radley is no full-time hooker but he could find a spot on the bench next year. With our current roster and not taking into account any future signings our pack next year could be something like this-

JWH
Friend
Napa
Cordner
Aubbo
Liu

SST
Tetevano
Matterson
Radley

There's no reason a forward pack like this shouldn't be able to mix it, or even dominate, any pack in the comp.

[Jacks Fur Coat]

Prior to that disgraceful semi performance I didn't agree. Now I do. It changed a lot of things for mine.

Same here.

Still filthy about that dig, and there is bound to be some consequence from it.

[ROC181]

Signing Cronk would be a real kick in the teeth for Pearce. I am certain that Pearce would ask for a release if we signed Cronk. Signing Cronk doesn't solve our forward issue. Out depth in the forwards is very thin with Guerra and Evans gone.

You can get forwards cheapie like when we got Moa or Tetevano. I'm sure one will be picked up soon...but imagine how slick the back line would run under the guidance of a player like Cronk. He is very precise with his passing and kicking so any tackles inside the opps 10 or 20m is likely to bring you 4 points...as long as we don't bomb tries like we have been for a long time. That Cronk can't help.

[BUDDY]

The big issue we may have is if we shop Pearce around to get Cronk and the whole thing falls through then it would not be good for team morale next year. The other players love him and can easily cause a split.

[Mickie Lane]

The big issue we may have is if we shop Pearce around to get Cronk and the whole thing falls through then it would not be good for team morale next year. The other players love him and can easily cause a split.

I could be wrong but surely the Roosters would have had a conversation with Pearce in regards to what they are up to if they are talking to Cronks people?

[The ticket]

Same here.

Still filthy about that dig, and there is bound to be some consequence from it.

Then There should be about 14 players waiting for those consequences

[SupermanSupportsEasts4Eva]

Of course it would be nice to have more depth in the forwards, which club wouldn't want that? I think the issue for us has been getting our forwards all playing well at the same time. Napa and JWH should be the most fearsome front row combo in the game, Boyd is Boyd and we know what he brings and SST can be as good as anyone when he's on. Throw in Liu, Tetavano, Aubo, Matterson (when they're not in the centres) and that's a pretty good list of forwards. Those players should be dominating other packs but it just didn't happen this year, except for a few 15 minute stages during the odd game here and there.

Maybe this comes down to the forwards themselves, maybe it's the coaching or the style they play, or maybe the key playmakers and organisers are to blame. It could be bit of everything or it could be something else altogether, I really don't know?

I would like a forward in our pack who can offload, or at least give some of our existing forwards the licence to off load. I'm still not giving up on Nat Butcher as a future part of our team and being the type of player that we need. His off season surgery last year really threw his year out. I'm looking forward to seeing him next year with the benefit of a full off season under his belt. I just like his 'intent to offload' mindset, something none of our other forwards seem to have.

Like Thirteen said Radley is no full-time hooker but he could find a spot on the bench next year. With our current roster and not taking into account any future signings our pack next year could be something like this-

JWH
Friend
Napa
Cordner
Aubbo
Liu

SST
Tetevano
Matterson
Radley

There's no reason a forward pack like this shouldn't be able to mix it, or even dominate, any pack in the comp.

I think the forwards are our biggest problem. On paper we should have the most fearsome "pack" in the comp. But they didn't work together like a pack.

Every time we dominanted a game during the season and then dropped off was because our forwards started to drop off.... which also lead to more defence for Friend and worst field position for Pearce to attack from.

I'm not defending Friend and Pearce (because they didn't perform either) but the lack of agression as a pack, in both attack and defence, wasn't there from our forwards all year.

Cords, Liu and SST are the only forwards that can hold their head up high right now.

[Johnny Tobin]

Don't worry Eddie. It was pretty weak.

[Johnny Tobin]

Same here.

Still filthy about that dig, and there is bound to be some consequence from it.

We can only hope.

[Johnny Tobin]

when him and Friend showed a lack of maturity and the ability to steer the team home.

100%

Once we hit the lead in the second half it was unacceptable to lose. Totally unacceptable. And I think we hit it twice in that half. Even worse.

[mightyrooster]

This is all just wishful thinking. I seriously cannot see Cronk signing on with the Roosters with Pearce and someone else being shifted elsewhere. We cannot afford to have two million dollar players in our team. I cannot see how this could happen within the constraints of the salary cap and having a balanced team.

[ism22]

i just love feeling the hate it pushes us to new highs! i can imagine cronk in rwb. our game v storm would be a ripper but nrl would have it on a Thursday night?

Gronk would just sit there going ‘sorry guys, it just doesn’t work anymore! I’ve never had that called a penalty against me EVER!!! Oi and WTF... when I passed directly to the defender as he’s running back onside, they called play-on rather than giving me a free kick!!! W...T...F?!?!?’

[Ray Stehr]

Cronk in and Pearce out = premiership.

[Ray Stehr]

At 34 Cronk will not get anywhere near $1 million.