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Home / Sport / Rugby / Super Rugby

Quade Cooper could be an NRL star - Matt Rogers

AAP
5 Dec, 2017 07:38 PM2 mins to read

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Quade Cooper in action for the Reds against the Highlanders in Dunedin earlier this year. Photo / Photosport.

Quade Cooper in action for the Reds against the Highlanders in Dunedin earlier this year. Photo / Photosport.

Quade Cooper could become a star in the NRL next season if there was a club prepared to take a risk on him.

That's the view of former dual-code international Mat Rogers, who believes the dumped Queensland Reds playmaker can transition between the codes.

Cooper is mulling his options after being told by new Reds coach Brad Thorn that he wasn't in his plans for 2018.

With no other Australian Super Rugby teams interested, the 29-year-old is believed to be considering a stint in Japanese rugby but has long held ambitions of playing in the NRL.

He was close to signing for Parramatta several years ago but ultimately chose to stay in rugby ahead of the 2011 World Cup, where he starred for the Wallabies.

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After a seven-year career in rugby league Rogers joined the NSW Waratahs for five seasons. He then linked up with the Gold Coast Titans in their inaugural NRL season.

While Cooper clearly hasn't had that rugby league lineage, Rogers says he could be a success at the right club."I've always rated him, no question about that," Rogers told AAP.

"I've always thought that he'd be a great league player.

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"It's just about finding a club that would be prepared to back him and take that punt and persist with him getting fit enough and accustomed to playing the game.

"I don't know who that could be ... (not) the Titans. They've got enough issues to deal with to throw another one in the mix.

"But a club like the Broncos, perhaps."They've got pretty handy halves and you could bring him off the bench - similar to what they did with Benji (Marshall)."

Cooper has no professional experience in rugby league however he did play the 13-man code as a junior.

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As yet, no NRL club has expressed interest in him.

"It's going to be one of those things," Rogers said.

"He might become a star but he might be a flop, too - not that I think he would be."

- AAP

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