Yes, you read the title correctly in case you thought your  eyes were deceiving you. It might not be the Cronin you think however. Peter Cronin, the 22-year old son of Eels great Michael Cronin is set to make his first-grade debut playing in the Charity Shield for the Dragons.
Cronin’s major aim is to secure a contract with the Dragons, as he has been training with them since November, and he will now get his shot to prove his worth at the Charity Shield clash.
Whilst Cronin was not really willing to talk to much about his son’s debut, he said that he is not worried that his son is playing for the Dragons.
“Oh well, the red and white were the only ones that asked him, so there was no choice. I’m happy for him,” Cronin said.
It was a former Eels mentor Ron Massey and Dragons super-coach Wayne Bennett that first saw Cronin in action, and offered the young Cronin the opportunity to train and play with the Dragons.
“I thought he was coming down with Ron Massey to have lunch with Dad and then he asked me and I couldn’t say anything. I was just real shocked,” Peter Cronin said.
“I knew I had a good year for Gerringong, but you think Gerringong is not really going to make ripples in the NRL pool. But now I’ve just got to give it my best and have a crack.”
Whilst people think that he will be forced to live in the shadows of his father’s illustrious career, Peter thinks that that will not be the case, and he plans to set out his own path in the NRL.
I’ve never really worried about the shadow of Dad,” he said. “I’ve just always been proud of him and can’t believe what he achieved.
“Hopefully I can try and carry on the name. If I could be half as good as him I would be happy.”