Michael Morgan has revealed a candid heart-to-heart with Cooper Cronk has been the catalyst for his stunning late season form which threatens to crash the Melbourne halfback's potential NRL grand final farewell.

Only days before the Kangaroos' Anzac Test win earlier this year, Cronk urged Morgan to take control of the Cowboys in Johnathan Thurston's absence, advice which now could come back to haunt him.

The Australian and Queensland teammates have long enjoyed a close relationship despite their eight-year age gap – Cowboys ace Morgan hails Cronk as his own "role model" – but it has been the Storm No.7 who has inadvertently unleashed the Morgan beast and created Melbourne's biggest grand final hurdle.

"That was the first time [we've done it]," Morgan told Fairfax Media of his Cronk chat. "He actually brought it up with me which was really good. That's why I've been so grateful, because he took the time to come up to me and talk about it.