NRL PREMIERSHIP winner Cooper Cronk will hope to add his Midas touch to Greater Western Sydney after joining the club's coaching staff.
Cronk has joined the Giants as a leadership consultant after drawing the curtain on his 16-season NRL career that featured four premiership titles with the Roosters and Melbourne Storm from a staggering nine Grand Finals.
The Giants reached out to Cronk as they looked to rebound from a stellar 2019 AFL season that ended with a devastating 89-point Grand Final loss to Richmond.
Cooper Cronk is chaired off after the NRL Grand Final between the Roosters and the Raiders. Picture: Getty Images
Cronk, 35, looks set to be kept busy in his retirement after already announcing he had signed on as a part-time specialist halves coach with his former NRL club Sydney Roosters.
Giants board member Jimmy Bartel last month confirmed their interest in luring the ex-Test and Queensland playmaker to their coaching staff for 2020 in the hope his professional approach would rub off on their players and club culture.
"It's his leadership, it's his experience, just everything he brings to the table. Of course we'd love to get him involved," Bartel told Macquarie Sports Radio in October.
Shattered Giants after the Grand Final. AFL Photos
Cronk follows the lead of former Melbourne teammate Billy Slater who has been juggling roles at the Storm and AFL outfit St Kilda since his NRL retirement.
Former Test fullback Slater joined the Saints' leadership and development programs in a newly-created role in late 2018 after pulling the pin on his stellar 323-game NRL career last year.
Tackling coach and Storm legend at work with the Saints. Picture: Getty Images
"I am looking forward to working with the Giants and the team," Cronk said.
"During my career I was able to learn many aspects to leadership and performance which I hope to convey to assist the club in achieving its goals."
INDICATIVE DRAFT ORDER Your club's latest picks
Giants coach Leon Cameron said Cronk's resume spoke for itself.
"We're really excited to have Cooper join the Giants," Cameron said.
"He's had an incredible career at the very top level and brings a wealth of experience to our club, including knowing what a winning culture looks like.
Find Road to the Draft on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.
"Cooper is obviously one of the greatest to have ever played in the NRL, but his character and eagerness to be involved in a different sport were also attractive to us."
Cronk is a two-time Dally M Medal winner for the best and fairest player in the NRL and won a Clive Churchill Medal for the best player in a Grand Final.
He is set to start his Giants stint later this month.
