Cooper: My dream to play for the Maroons

[blueandblack]

The Wallabies No.10 has one eye on Darren Lockyer's job, writes Jamie Pandaram.

A MAJOR reason for Quade Cooper signing just a one-year extension with the Australian Rugby Union is his desire to play State of Origin for Queensland.

The Wallabies five-eighth will be off contract for the 2013 NRL season and, unlike his close friend Sonny Bill Williams, qualifies for Origin football after playing rugby league in Queensland before taking up the 15-man code full-time.

''I love the hype around Origin, you only have to flick the TV on to see how big it is in Australia and how passionate the players are about it,'' Cooper said. ''You look at the supporters, they are crazy.
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''That is what, as a player, you want to do. You want to test yourself in the biggest arenas, on the biggest stages. On a league stage that is the biggest aside from the grand final.

''It will be great to have that option [to play for the Maroons] but it is a tough team to break into. There are so many amazing players in the halves there, it would be hard to break into that squad.

''But to be a part of that would be a dream for any player in Queensland. This is a very passionate state, wherever you go in Brisbane you'll see a Maroons flag waving. It feels to me like when a Bledisloe Cup match would be in town.''

When reminded that Queensland skipper and five-eighth Darren Lockyer would be retiring at the end of the season, opening a potential halves spot in the Queensland side for him, Cooper replied: ''As they say, timing is everything.''

Cooper reiterated his desire to play alongside Williams, but not if it would cost him his Wallabies jersey, which makes it highly unlikely the pair would move overseas together. It does, however, increase the likelihood that both could defect to the NRL as a dual package, with Cooper free to pursue his Origin interests and Williams able to represent the Kiwis again.

''You never want to put your national position at risk, the only time you'd want to put that at risk is if you're playing poorly,'' Cooper said. ''In terms of playing at the highest level, that is what I've always wanted. I want to be the best at the game I choose to play and the only way to do that is by playing against the best teams.

''Playing for the Wallabies, you get to play against the All Blacks year in, year out and they are the best team in the world. It would be amazing to play with Sonny, but you wouldn't want to give up playing at the highest level that easily.''

Playing league alongside former Bulldogs star Williams, now a key member of the Crusaders and All Blacks, would also help Cooper's adjustment and representative prospects. ''In whatever you do, you want to be competitive and do well, and any team with Sonny is going to do well, as he has shown,'' Cooper said. ''He was at the Bulldogs and they won a premiership.

''The way he plays league, not many players have that skill-set, size and speed. I would love to play with him in either code. I see league as a big challenge, I played the game right up to 17 or 18, I played league in New Zealand and made a few rep teams.''

Before defecting to rugby, Williams complained over not being eligible for NSW's Origin side despite having represented their under-17s and under-19s sides. But given he had represented the Kiwis, officials would not budge. Cooper, on the other hand, would pledge his allegiance to Australia if he switched to league and would therefore satisfy the criteria for Origin selection.

Cooper negotiated his own contract with the ARU, with advice from agent Khoder Nasser - who also manages Williams. Nasser's influence over both men's careers has intensified speculation they will be shopped around as a two-man package to NRL sides next year and Cooper's comments add weight to that theory. But the Reds playmaker conceded that it would be difficult to leave the Wallabies prior to the 2013 Lions tour. The Reds are hopeful that Cooper's retention will entice his Wallabies teammate James O'Connor back to Brisbane.

O'Connor is another close friend of Cooper's and it's believed he is leaning towards joining the Reds from the Western Force.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/un...#ixzz1MuE5O2bD

[normie]

I think Khoder Nasser is plotting something. Watch for a tag team boxing event in the near future.

[zed]

He'll never play league. He can 2 or 3 times as much in Union. Especially if he goes to Europe. Besides, he refuses to tackle. You need to tackle in league.

[shasta]

He'll never play league. He can 2 or 3 times as much in Union. Especially if he goes to Europe. Besides, he refuses to tackle. You need to tackle in league.

You must not know that the new NRL broadcast rights look like being in the same ballpark as the AFL deal. Rumour is the salary cap will rise to around $7mil.

Jamie Soward learned to defend and he'll be starting on Wednesday. Cooper will be too scared to not learn - he'll have The Axe staring daggers at him.