"Cooper has played the game at the highest level for a number of years and we are keenly aware of what he brings to the club. Together with the established leaders within our squad, we see him as a wonderful addition to our roster."
But not everyone is a fan of the move.
Former Roosters star Willie Mason was particularly vocal about Cronk's move last week, blasting the club's short-sightedness.
"He'll be 35 next year, If they pay him $1 million for one year ... is it worth losing a player like Pearce or Friend for five or six years?" Mason asked on SKIPI TV before smashing the Roosters' veteran's critics.
"I don't understand their mentality on this, I'm a bit disappointed in the Roosters. Pearce has won a premiership, the only time he's vilified is when they talk about Origin.
"Everyone hammers him and bags the crap out of him for Origin all the time but if you have a look at his club level playing, you cannot fault him - he's in the top three players for the Roosters all the time.
"For them to sign Cronk in front of Pearce, it's ridiculous, it doesn't make sense."
Mason said Cronk's signing could cause a revolt within the 2013 premiers' dressing room.
"I'm not sure how he's going to put himself in that locker room and tell blokes like Friendy and all these other guys who will have in the back of their head (thinking) 'the only reason you are here is because you flicked one of my best mates'," he said.
"We've heard rumours Pearce wants out. Maybe Friendy will want out. It could start a revolt," he said. "That group has been together for about six or seven years, the main playing group, they've won premierships together. So when you slide in now like Cooper Cronk is now, it's just the worst, worst situation for him."
GALLEN: PEARCE CAN'T STAY
Sharks veteran Paul Gallen said Cronk and Pearce won't be able to fit in the same team and suggested the former NSW star move on.
"I think if Cooper Cronk does sign with the Roosters, I don't think Mitchell Pearce can stay," Gallen on the Nine's Sport Sunday. "I don't think the positions of Pearce, (five-eighth Luke) Keary and Cronk fit in together.
"I don't think you can turn Pearce, who has been a halfback his whole life, into a bench player." Gallen said luring Cronk to the club would put heat on coach Trent Robinson. "It's a big decision for the Roosters, in my opinion," he said. "Unless Cooper Cronk goes there and...they win a competition, it's going to be called a failure.
"Where does it go back to then? Is the coach then under pressure?"
The Sharks were caught up in the three-way arm wrestle for Cronk but were eventually ousted by the Roosters.
"I love Cooper Cronk, he's a great player. I (would have) loved seeing him come to Cronulla," Gallen said.
"But the reason he (would) come to Cronulla was because James Maloney apparently may want to leave. That's the way it would work.
"You'd see him fitting into a club like that.
"If Mitchell Pearce wanted to leave or Keary wanted to leave, I could see him fitting into the Roosters no problems.
"But to fit those three players into two positions, I can't see how it's going to work personally."
