Cronk will notch the milestone when he runs out on AAMI Park for the Storm’s NRL grand-final qualifier against the Raiders on Saturday night.

The ever-humble Cronk is doing his best to play down the occasion believing the achievement should not play a part in his side’s preparations and performance in the all-important clash, much to the bemusement of his long-time mentor.

 “As I have said to the boys all week, I don’t want to disrespect 300 games because it's a massive achievement, but there is something greater on offer here for this football club and I want that to be at the forefront," Cronk said. "I am happy to take a back seat to that."

“…At the end of the day there is this massive moment (Saturday’s match) that’s greater than any individual milestone that the game can offer on Saturday night.

“I have been there on both sides where we haven’t been successful and we have been successful, and I tell you what, winning the game on Saturday night is the most important thing."

But Bellamy, who has coached the QLD and Australian No.7 his entire first-grade career, was having none of it.

“It is obviously a big game being a preliminary final, but, I myself, you just can’t go past Cooper’s milestone,” Bellamy said.

“There’s 300 games, and I think we found out from David Middleton that there’s been 9354 players that have played NRL since 1908, so to have only 25 play 300 games and for Cooper to be the 11th to do that at one club over 108 years, that’s pretty remarkable.

“I’m a traditionalist but I am just in awe of anyone who can play, especially at the pace they play these days, to play 300 games.”

“It’s a remarkable achievement and needs recognition and hopefully the boys will get something out of that and hopefully it will help them go a little bit harder for a little bit longer on Saturday night.”