It’s the one accolade to eluded Cooper Cronk throughout his brilliant NRL career but the retiring champion halfback insists Sunday’s NRL grand final is instead about repaying the Sydney Roosters.
Cronk has been a winner throughout his 16 seasons in top grade and is aiming to go out the same way against Canberra at ANZ Stadium.
The 35-year-old has done it all, winning every team and individual honour on offer during his 371 games with Melbourne and the Sydney Roosters.
He’s won grand finals, the World Club Challenge, State of Origins, World Cups, is a two-time Dally M winner, former Golden Boot winner and Clive Churchill Medallist.
But the one box he has never ticked is winning back-to-back titles with the same club.
This is despite having played in nine grand finals – and appeared in a season decider on more occasions than his side has missed out.
Cronk said he wasn’t being motivated by achieving successive titles for the first time since Brisbane in 1992-93.
But rather, he still felt he owed the Roosters, chairman Nick Politis and coach Trent Robinson a debt after they give him a home for the final two years of his career.
“I care about this football club and its outcome because I’ve been on both ends of the scoreboard on grand final day,” Cronk said.
“I know which one I’d prefer.
“But this team and the people involved in this football club sacrificed a lot for me to be here.
“Everything about this week, and performance-wise on Sunday night, is about paying back a bit of that respect and love and admiration.”
When Cronk moved from the Storm to Roosters at the end of 2017, some questioned whether he would be able to maintain his record of success when he wasn’t playing alongside Cameron Smith and Billy Slater.
He has answered those who doubted him.
Cronk’s arrival forced out Mitchell Pearce and the common narrative was that he was brought to Bondi Junction to deliver a premiership.
And he now stands on the cusp of lifting the Provan-Summons Trophy twice in two years.
Raiders coach Ricky Stuart said he felt an affinity with Cronk, noting the similarities in their playing careers.
“I’ve watched him quite closely because I know he came from a rugby union background,” Stuart said.
“He had a good grounding with some good coaches around him, he had to learn how to play first-grade.
“Very similar to what I was, I was fortunate to have some great players around me. It really brings your game on.
“It’s a career he’ll be able to live with for many, many years now and he’ll be proud of what he’s achieved.”