Crooks relishing Eels challenge

Former Hull FC threequarter Ben Crooks has admitted that the chance to test himself in the NRL with Parramatta Eels was simply too good an opportunity to turn down.

After three seasons with FC, Crooks was handed the chance to play in Australia, and believes the higher profile of the sport Down Under will help him thrive.

“I think the profile of the game is so much bigger and to set the challenge to come over and play with the best, it’s something that every Super League player aspires to do,” he told the Eels’ official website.

“The opportunity came across and I couldn’t afford to turn it down.

“The next two years are a vital stage of my development, and the NRL has always been a goal of mine.”

Crooks will also be working with former Hull FC coach Peter Gentle, who is now the assistant coach at Parramatta.

“It’s a hard enough move coming to the other side of the world when you don’t know anybody, but I have worked with Pete and Eels conditioner Paul Devlin who was at Hull when I was there,” the player explained.

“A couple of new faces always help you settle in to a new environment so it will be good to be working with them again.

“I haven’t trained in a while so I think I will be the only player looking forward to getting back into the offseason training and getting back into it!”