Sydney Roosters playmaker Cooper Cronk has been cleared to play this week as the NRL defending champions continue their push to lock up a top-two finish.

Cronk failed to complete the Roosters’ 42-6 flogging of the Warriors on Sunday after copping a late hit by Jazz Tevaga and experiencing increasing pain and stiffness in his left shoulder.

However, the Roosters said on Monday their medical staff have cleared him of injury and he is available to take on St George Illawarra on Saturday.

That’s a relief for Roosters fans who would have vivid memories of Cronk defying pain from a fractured scapula in the same shoulder to play last year’s grand final before undergoing surgery.

On that occasion Cronk had taken a hit from South Sydney counterpart Adam Reynolds in the preliminary final.

Roosters coach Trent Robinson admitted after Sunday’s match he had visions of last year’s finals dramas.

“It probably flashed through my mind on that one just because of seeing him down there like that,” Robinson said.

Cronk played on for eight minutes before leaving the field.

“Usually it’s a hit and you think he’ll recover,” Robinson said.

“It progressively got tighter and sorer than we just had to get him off. We had to.

“It actually got worse the longer the game went. But he’s okay.”