page_title: Cooper Cronk
section_title: 2010–13
hierarchical_section_title: Cooper Cronk / Playing career / 2010s / 2010–13
caption_attribution_description: English: Cooper Cronk playing for the melbourne storm vs panthers in 2010
context_page_description: Cooper Patrick Cronk is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin team representative, he played most of his club career in the National Rugby League for the Melbourne Storm, with whom he won 2 premierships from 7 NRL Grand Finals. Cronk finished his career with the Sydney Roosters with whom he won another two consecutive NRL Grand Finals.
  Cronk finished his career with 4 NRL Premierships from 9 NRL Grand Finals. He is a two-time winner of the Dally M Medal, which is awarded to the best and fairest player in the NRL, annually, and a winner of the Clive Churchill Medal for the best player in a grand final. Cronk amassed 101 career tries during his career. During his career he had been frequently regarded as one of the greatest to have played the game.
context_section_description: Surgery on his groin saw Cronk miss Melbourne's appearance in the 2010 World Club Challenge. An injury to Johnathan Thurston saw Cronk selected for the 2010 ANZAC Test. Cronk played off the bench as a utility for Queensland in the 2010 State of Origin Series, playing in all three games. In Game II, he scored his first Origin try. 
  He also played for Australia in the 2010 Four Nations.
  Cronk played in the 2011 State of Origin Series. In Game I, he set up a try for Jharal Yow Yeh in the second half and in Game III, he set up Greg Inglis as well. In 2011, Cronk also played the tests against New Zealand at the Gold Coast and Newcastle on the bench. Cronk was part of the 2011 Rugby League Four Nations tournament, playing off the bench when the Kangaroos played the Kiwis and England. Cooper Cronk has been selected to play Five-Eighth against Wales, with Johnathan Thurston at halfback, resting Darren Lockyer for the Four Nations Final. In the 2011 Rugby League Four Nations between Australia and Wales, Cronk scored 3 tries and set-up 2 tries for Australia. He also played in the Four Nations Grand Final against England.
  As of 29 March 2012 Cooper agreed to a further four years with the Melbourne Storm. At the 2012 Dally M Awards Cronk was named the NRL's halfback of the year. In the 2012 NRL Grand Final victory over Canterbury-Bankstown, he won the Clive Churchill Medal for the man of the match award.
  Cronk kicked the game and series-winning field goal in the final minutes of the third State of Origin match in 2012. He later said, "To be brutally honest I was in a state of grace at that particular moment. Every sinew in my body came together in one perfect whole. But those who have ever experienced that feeling, and it doesn't happen very often, will tell you it's in a whole other place of experience from the usual ego or vanity that drives my game. So I'm not afraid to own it for what it was."
  In February 2013, he won man of the match in Storm's 18-14 win over Leeds in the world club challenge. Cronk was also selected as starting halfback for the annual ANZAC Test match between Australia and New Zealand in Canberra, playing at halfback for Australia. He also played a key role in Queensland's eighth consecutive series win with a 12-10 win over New South Wales in the decider, setting up the match winner try to Justin Hodges.
  On the October 1, 2013, 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. He was also named the Dally M Halfback of the Year.
caption: Cronk playing for Melbourne in 2010
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