Resilience of bush kid Lachy Croker takes him from Crookwell to Brookvale Oval

THE story of little-known Manly five-eighth Lachlan Croker begins a few years ago at the bar of the Crookwell Hotel-Motel.

Lachlan Croker is set for his first game at Brookvale Oval. Picture: Richard Dobson

THE story of little-known Manly five-eighth Lachlan Croker begins a few years ago at the bar of the Crookwell Hotel-Motel.

Dale Croker, a sheep shearer and Goulburn Police officer and the father of Lachlan, uses the story as a way to help explain his oldest son’s greatest character; resilience.

“The day he turned 18, I took him down to the Crookwell pub,’’ Dale, the brother of former Canberra great Jason Croker, explains.

“I was pretty proud he turned 18.

“Being from the country, we all enjoy a beer and so I was looking forward to sharing a cold one with my boy.

“He said; “Dad, can I have an Apple Cider?’

“We had one drink and we went home.’’

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Lachlan Croker is set for his first game at Brookvale Oval. Picture: Richard Dobson

Dale wasn’t exactly surprised.

He and his wife Sally have witnessed first-hand their son’s sacrifice, as trivial as refusing a sip of alcohol on his 18th birthday, or be it waiting under The Big Merino every freezing Goulburn winter - the meeting spot for his lift to training in Canberra.

The traits of fortitude and toughness are evident in the fearless defence which has earned praise from Manly coach Trent Barrett - despite the crushing shoulder and knee setbacks suffered throughout his career.

Primarily, persistence and patience is dotted throughout Croker’s NRL journey from Crookwell, to Canberra and now finally, Brookvale Oval this afternoon.

A former school captain of Goulburn’s highly-respected Trinity Catholic College, Croker scored an ATAR of 91 in his final year at school.

Lachlan Croker in kindergarten at St Mary's Primary, Crookwell.

To this day, Dale still can’t comprehend how his son achieved such a score.

“The thing is, I’d pick him up from school at 3.30pm, we’d drive an hour and-a-half to train with the Raiders until 8pm, we’d then drive back to Crookwell and then he would be up doing his homework until midnight,’’ Dale said.

“He was doing that three times a week. It shows how mentally tough he is.’’

A Crookwell Green Devils and Goulburn Bulldogs junior, Croker grew up as the oldest of four boys, playing footy in winter and cricket in summer.

“He represented NSW in under-16s for cricket. He could’ve gone further, but he had to pick either cricket or football and he chose footy,’’ Dale said.

Croker also played schoolboys rugby union.

Devastatingly, he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee at just 13.

Even at that tender age, resilience got Croker through.

“He was going to Goulburn three times a week for physio and at home he did everything possible to speed up the recovery,’’ Dale said.

Croker returned to the field for Goulburn 14-months later, collecting seven man of the match trophies before winning the under-15’s premiership undefeated.

The following year, the Raiders signed the budding centre-five-eighth to be part of their junior representative teams.

Lachlan is the nephew of Canberra Raiders legend Jason Croker

Over three consecutive seasons, Croker won the ‘Players-Player award’ for the Raiders under-16 and under-18s teams, in between washing dishes for $14-an-hour at the Crookwell hotel bistro.

However, the Raiders almost overlooked Croker all together, prior to the under-16 Harold Mathews trials.

It took the belief of local Goulburn legend, Steve “Freezer’ Freebody, who was working as a junior talent scout at the time for the Raiders, for Croker to dodge the axe.

“They were going to tip him out prior to the under-16 trials and I said “you guys have got to be kidding,’’ Freebody recalled.

“He’s the fittest, he’s intelligent and he’s tough. You can’t coach most kids to be tough and he loves the contact.

Croker playing for the U12 Crookwell Green Devils.

“They took it on board and Lachie did the rest.’’

Croker was eventually chosen by the Raiders on the interchange bench for his first Harold Mathews game.

It upset him enough to make sure that he was never benched again playing every match for the next three years.

Croker’s NRL debut was inevitable, having been chosen in the NSW under-18 and under-20 sides, and at halfback for the Junior Kangaroos in 2016 alongside Penrith gun, Nathan Cleary.

His first grade debut came in round two of the 2016 season for the Raiders against the Roosters.

Croker’s dad Dale took him to the Crookwell Hotel for his 18th birthday

The rookie lasted until just before half-time, forced from the field with a shoulder injury that would require surgery.

Up until last Saturday in his Manly debut against Newcastle, that one appearance for Canberra remained Croker’s only NRL match.

Road-blocked behind Raiders halves Aidan Sezer and Blake Austin, Croker did what so many impatient young players today, would never consider doing.

He spent two seasons playing NSW Cup for Mounties plying his trade until a phone call from Manly coach Trent Barrett last November changed everything.

While the rest of the league world have been infatuated with finding Manly a replacement for the departed Blake Green, Barrett - who being a former five-eighth and country boy can relate to Croker - has backed his young charge to partner Daly Cherry-Evans from day one.

Croker with younger brothers Ben, Thomas and James.

“As much as I would’ve loved him to stay in Canberra, moving to Manly has been a blessing in disguise,’’ Croker’s famous uncle Jason said.

“Everything takes times. Some do it quicker than others, but the thing with Lachie is, whatever he puts his mind too, he’ll do it.

“School, cricket, footy and now he’s got his chance with Manly, if he’s focused on achieving something, there’s not much you can do to stop him.’’

Originally published as Resilience of bush kid Lachy Croker takes him from Crookwell to Brookvale Oval