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'A lifelong dream': Former Wallabies star Quade Cooper reveals ambitions to play NRL this year

By Online Editors
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Former Wallabies playmaker Quade Cooper has revealed his desire to play in the NRL this year and has outlined a plan to meet with clubs in a bid to fulfil “a lifelong dream” of playing in the competition.

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The 32-year-old is back in Brisbane after wrapping up his debut season with the Kintetsu Liners in Japan’s second-tier Top Challenge League in January.

Cooper still has another eight months until he is due to return to Japan for playing duties, and is contemplating asking Kintestu for permission to explore a short-term NRL deal before the June 30 transfer deadline.

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“I had a great time in Japan and Kintetsu has been nothing short of amazing,” Cooper told The Sydney Morning Herald on Monday.

“The experience, the club, the people … and I’m very much looking forward to going back there. But with their blessing, if they said that they don’t mind me going to the NRL for that short three-or four-month season to do something I’ve always wanted to achieve, then mate, I’d jump at the opportunity to fulfil a dream that I’ve had since I was a kid. The way things are kind of working out, it could be one where all the stars align.”

With the suspended competition aiming for a resumption date of May 28, Gold Coast Titans head of football Mal Meninga has expressed an eagerness to get Cooper on their books.

“We’d discuss it, for sure, and see what we think,” Meninga told the SMH.

“There’s no doubt he has the skill there. Any of the union guys, especially the backs, who are brought up on league can make the transition. There is a gamble there because ideally you’d want him to have a pre-season because you can’t play him in reserve grade.

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“You’d have to throw him straight in. You don’t want someone like that to come to a club and fail. We’ll probably have to wait and see what sort of money we have to spend in the salary cap as well, but we’ll talk about it.”

The Australian-based newspaper also suggested the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs could also be in the hunt for Cooper’s signature as the Sydney club looks to bolster its stocks in the halves.

The Brisbane Broncos may have also thrown their hat into the ring in an attempt to lure the 70-test Wallaby’s services given he has been training at the club’s facilities with star forward Tevita Pangai Jr, but the Anthony Seibold-coached side’s roster is already full.

However, while he remains a staunch Queenslander, Cooper isn’t afraid to try his luck elsewhere.

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“I don’t mind who I play for,” he told the SMH. “Being a Queensland boy, I love Brisbane. I’m close to the Broncos boy and have always supported Queensland. But I grew up in New Zealand, my team was the Roosters and my favourite player was Brad Fittler.

“Then I loved the Tigers with Benji Marshall. Then when Sonny, who is now like a brother to me, came on to the scene, I was a massive Dogs supporter. For me it’s about playing the game I’ve always wanted to play and conquering a challenge.

“I reckon six would be my best position. Theoretically I could play fullback or in the centres, but fullback is a bit of specialist position in the game, especially with the high balls and bringing the ball back. For me my biggest strength in the game is my ball skills and my communication skills driving people around the field.”

Despite not having played a game of rugby league in over 15 years, Cooper doesn’t appear daunted by the prospect of diving headfirst into rugby league’s blue ribbon club tournament.

“I’d love that,” he said. “That’s the thing, going in there and jumping straight into it, I’d back myself. When I played my first game for the Reds, I was in grade 12 and Eddie (Jones) took me over to Japan and we played against the Japanese international team.

“I literally went from playing against school kids to an international team. If you’re going to learn, you’re going to learn pretty quickly being thrown in there.

“Jumping out on a rugby league field, it would be one of those things that I know that I would do well in terms of your effort, your skill, your ability. And the stage? That’s what you want as an athlete. To play on those stages and challenges. The unknown is one of those things that is kind of scary but exciting at the same time.”

Despite his heightened status within rugby union, the financial uncertainty that most clubs are surrounded by in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic means Cooper is unlikely to secure a big payday for a brief cross-code switch.

That hasn’t dismayed the former Queensland Reds, Melbourne Rebels and Toulon pivot’s league aspirations, though.

“Here’s the thing, money is not the be all and end all,” he said.

“It is a massive thing for athletes, but there’s more than just that. When you’re talking three or four months in the NRL, there’s a hit you’re going to cop but it’s not the end of the world. It’s not a two or three year deal. I have been fortunate enough to play for a while and earn money.

“I’m lucky that in Japan there has been no issues around my pay or having to take a pay cut. At the end of the day, if the opportunity arose you’d have to look at it and weigh everything up.”

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Jon 3 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

This is the problem with conservative mindsets and phycology, and homogenous sports, everybody wants to be the same, use the i-win template. Athlete wise everyone has to have muscles and work at the gym to make themselves more likely to hold on that one tackle. Do those players even wonder if they are now more likely to be tackled by that player as a result of there “work”? Really though, too many questions, Jake. Is it better Jake? Yes, because you still have that rugby of ole that you talk about. Is it at the highest International level anymore? No, but you go to your club or checkout your representative side and still engage with that ‘beautiful game’. Could you also have a bit of that at the top if coaches encouraged there team to play and incentivized players like Damian McKenzie and Ange Capuozzo? Of course we could. Sadly Rugby doesn’t, or didn’t, really know what direction to go when professionalism came. Things like the state of northern pitches didn’t help. Over the last two or three decades I feel like I’ve been fortunate to have all that Jake wants. There was International quality Super Rugby to adore, then the next level below I could watch club mates, pulling 9 to 5s, take on the countries best in representative rugby. Rugby played with flair and not too much riding on the consequences. It was beautiful. That largely still exists today, but with the world of rugby not quite getting things right, the picture is now being painted in NZ that that level of rugby is not required in the “pathway” to Super Rugby or All Black rugby. You might wonder if NZR is right and the pathway shouldn’t include the ‘amateur’, but let me tell you, even though the NPC might be made up of people still having to pull 9-5s, we know these people still have dreams to get out of that, and aren’t likely to give them. They will be lost. That will put a real strain on the concept of whether “visceral thrill, derring-do and joyful abandon” type rugby will remain under the professional level here in NZ. I think at some point that can be eroded as well. If only wanting the best athlete’s at the top level wasn’t enough to lose that, shutting off the next group, or level, or rugby players from easy access to express and showcase themselves certainly will. That all comes back around to the same question of professionalism in rugby and whether it got things right, and rugby is better now. Maybe the answer is turning into a “no”?

35 Go to comments
j
john 5 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

But here in Australia we were told Penney was another gun kiwi coach, for the Tahs…….and yet again it turned out the kiwi coach was completely useless. Another con job on Australian rugby. As was Robbie Deans, as was Dave Rennie. Both coaches dumped from NZ and promoted to Australia as our saviour. And the Tahs lap them up knowing they are second rate and knowing that under pressure when their short comings are exposed in Australia as well, that they will fall in below the largest most powerful province and choose second rate Tah players to save their jobs. As they do and exactly as Joe Schmidt will do. Gauranteed. Schmidt was dumped by NZ too. That’s why he went overseas. That why kiwi coaches take jobs in Australia, to try and prove they are not as bad as NZ thought they were. Then when they get found out they try and ingratiate themselves to NZ again by dragging Australian teams down with ridiculous selections and game plans. NZ rugby’s biggest problem is that it can’t yet transition from MCaw Cheatism. They just don’t know how to try and win on your merits. It is still always a contest to see how much cheating you can get away with. Without a cheating genius like McCaw, they are struggling. This I think is why my wise old mate in NZ thinks Robertson will struggle. The Crusaders are the nursery of McCaw Cheatism. Sean Fitzpatrick was probably the father of it. Robertson doesn’t know anything else but other countries have worked it out.

25 Go to comments
A
Adrian 7 hours ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

25 Go to comments
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Trevor 10 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
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