Luke Keary is savouring every last minute of his short but hugely successful halves partnership with retiring Sydney Roosters superstar Cooper Cronk.
After 369 club games for Melbourne and the Roosters, 35-year-old Cronk will hang up the boots at the end of the 2019 NRL season.
He hopes to play an incredible ninth grand final before calling it a day.
But regardless of how his teammate bows out, Keary credits Cronk for having a telling influence on his own career during his two years at Bondi Junction.
“He’s taught me a lot about the game and how to carry myself, and how to deal with other people, and kind of get the best out of people around you,” the 2018 Clive Churchill Medallist said ahead of the Roosters’ meeting with the Warriors on Sunday.
“It’s been massive, these last couple of years for me, and there’s a lot of lessons I’ll take forward with me.”
Barring injury to either player, Keary has a maximum of six or seven games left with Cronk and is intent on enjoying every one of them.
“We speak about it every week,” Keary said.
“He doesn’t have much longer left, but it’s been really enjoyable. He’s playing some really good footy, too, so it will be sad to see him go but it’s been a fun couple of years.”
Victory over the Warriors at the SCG would leave the Roosters ever closer to clinching an all-important top two spot and home final.
Not that the premiers are taking the 11th-placed Kiwis lightly, especially after the Warriors roared back to life last week with a crucial win over high-flying Manly.
“It will be a really tough game,” Keary said.
“Obviously they’re in the hunt for the finals and had a really good game last week.
“They’ve been there or thereabouts all year, obviously been a bit unlucky in some games but we’re expecting game. They’ve got a good record against us.”
THE STATS THAT MATTER
– The Warriors have won four of the past five against the Roosters but lost the most recent game 32-0 at Mt Smart.
– The Roosters will aim to win consecutive games against the Warriors for the first time since winning three straight from 2014-15.
– Roosters coach Trent Robinson has his second-worst record against Warriors counterpart Stephen Kearney, winning one of their three head-to-head battles.
