In the 2018 NRL grand final Sydney Roosters half-back Cooper Cronk – fractured scapular and all – stood on the short side as a decoy all night to give Luke Keary and James Tedesco enough space to win the premiership for Trent Robinson’s side.
Cronk played a far more active role in Friday’s golden-point victory as the Roosters blew a 20-0 lead before Latrell Mitchell landed the winning field goal from long range in extra time.
But at the crucial moment the former Storm star, who was booed by the AAMI Park faithful, reverted to being the ‘ultimate decoy’ as the Roosters outsmarted Craig Bellamy’s side yet again.
“Cooper ended up being the ultimate decoy there, they rushed Cooper and Latrell with his long left foot nailed it,” Robinson said post-match.
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“He practices a lot, he’s a really good kicker and I thought when he went to five-eighth he did a really good job so a great way to finish the game.”
Robinson, who described the win as ‘uncomfortable and beautiful all in one’, added when pressed on the planning behind Mitchell’s impressive match-winner: “Cooper’s in charge but Cooper as we all know his ability to decide what the opposition might do and then what the best option is for the team.
“I think a lot of young halves would say,’ I’ll take it’ (the field goal), and Cooper’s taken a lot in his time and nailed them a lot of the time.
“But I think he knew what their reaction might be and called on Latrell to take it.
“We said were going to Latrell in the break (between full-time and golden point) so it was planned in advance and well thought out.”
Mitchell’s field goal wasn’t his only act of brilliance as the boom centre scored a brilliant try and set up another in a standout performance.
“It’s great to watch, I get to watch it at training and then I get to watch it in games,” Robinson said.
“His ability to express himself and have time is something to behold so to see him do that in the first half and then to do it in the second half right in the 81st minute, that’s Latrell.”
While delighted with the win Robinson admitted things didn’t go exactly to play on Friday after prop Siosiua Taukeiaho pulled out in the warm-up before Luke Keary failed to finish the match after a head clash with team-mate Jahrome Hughes.
“Siosiua, about 45 minutes before the game said, ‘My back’s no good’,” Robinson said.
“And I told Josh Curran, a kid who was doing 18th man for the first time that he was going to play, Lindsay Collins was going to start … and the team started like they did.
“… We weren’t perfect and I think we did run out of gas at a couple of different times there, but running out of gas doesn’t mean you lose a game or you drop off.
He added Keary, who is in doubt for the Roosters’ Anzac Day clash against St George Illawarra, ‘was in good spirits but wasn’t good enough to go back on’.
“It’ll depend on his recovery, he’ll obviously have to nail every day to get right for Anzac Day.
“I wouldn’t know how he’s going to be tomorrow but he’ll have to improve every day.”
