Who will wear No.7 for Storm next season?
That is the question Craig Bellamy will need to get used to answering for the remainder of the season.
Following Cooper Cronk’s announcement on Tuesday, speculation will now doubt linger as to who take the 33-year-old’s place at halfback.
Be there for the Grand Final Replay at AAMI Park. Storm host the Sharks, Sunday 9 April.
The Club will now weigh up whether to enter the open market for a playmaking replacement or look within to its promising youngsters.
Whichever path they choose, they know finding an exact Cronk clone simply will not be possible.
“We are not looking to get another Cooper Cronk because we don’t think there is another Cooper Cronk out there,” Bellamy said.
“We will be looking for someone that we think can add to our team and we just want them to be themselves, not a Cooper Cronk but just a really good version of what they are.
“Hopefully we can find that person, whether he is with us now or whether we find someone at some stage during the season.”
Brodie Croft electrified the Auckland Nines competition in February, showing at 19 years old that he has the ability and class to perform at the top level.
However given Cronk’s announcement is just a few days old, the Storm hierarchy has not had the proper time to assess all of its options.
“There are a whole heap of halfbacks and five-eighths off contract so at the end of the day they will come into consideration,” Bellamy said.
“Having said that we have got a couple of good young halves playing lower grades with us.
“We will get together in the next couple of days but having said that, whatever comes out of that meeting doesn’t mean it is going to happen.
“We will just consider all the options and then go from there.”
Storm take on the Sharks in a Grand Final rematch at 4pm this Sunday at AAMI Park.
