Australian Survivor is back, and this time, it’s personal. That’s right! This year, contestants are competing against their loved ones in the Survivor classic theme, Blood Vs Water.
Of all the pairs, no one has caught Australia’s attention more than ex-NRL star Mick “Croc” Crocker and his mostly Survivor-clueless sister-in-law Chrissy Zaremba.
Okay, maybe the Queen of Survivor, Sandra Diaz-Twine, and her daughter Nina have caught a little more attention than Croc and Chrissy, but it’s not really an even playing ground there, right?
Anyway! We’re not really sports-heads over here, so we had to do some digging to figure out what Croc’s deal is, and now, we’re here to present you with our findings.
41-year-old Michael “Croc” Crocker has dreamed of playing Survivor for years, and expects his strengths to be “his observation skills, as well as his brute physical strength”, according to his 10 Play profile.
“He will build genuine relationships and ascertain what makes people tick, how they behave and then make big moves when the time is right to eliminate his biggest threats,” the profile promises. Sounds good to us!
Croc, who promises he’s “just a big teddy bear at heart”, says that his biggest Survivor fear is “failure — not living up to [his] own expectations physically and strategically”.
His tribemates who are familiar with his career may be surprised to learn that he’s a “big teddy bear”, though, as his sporting career paints quite a different picture!
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Croc played rugby league professionally from 2001 to 2013, for the Sydney Roosters, Melbourne Storm and the South Sydney Rabbitohs. When he joined the Sydney Roosters, he was the 1000th player to join the league.
During his career, he played five Grand Finals, with a victory in 2002.
People have claimed that he was Melbourne Storm’s “lucky charm” after he signed with them in 2006–in the three years he played for them, he only played in three losing games.
His career was also peppered with controversy. In 2005, he was arrested after an “alcohol-fuelled disturbance outside The Palace Hotel in Sydney”.
He pled guilty and was eventually fined $10,000 by the Sydney Roosters, his team at the time.
Croc faced consequences for his behaviour on the field, as well. Well known for being an aggressive and competitive player with a tough playing style, Croc spent 21 weeks suspended off and on between 2001 and 2007.
He faced the NRL Judiciary 13 times. To give you an idea of how many that is for the game, Croc’s record is only equalled by one other player, Steve Matai.
In 2013, Croc was forced to retire from rugby league due to a persistent knee injury.
“After undergoing surgery in April, my focus has been to get back on the field,” he said in a statement announcing his retirement at the time. “Unfortunately, I have arrived at the point where my knee is unable to meet the demands of professional football. It has been an incredible 13 years playing in the NRL and my career has been blessed.”
Perhaps it’s love that’s softened Croc in the years following his retirement?
Croc is engaged to Chrissy’s sister, fashion designer Kiri Moana-Procter, and the pair appear to be well and truly loved up.
Announcing their engagement in December 2019, Croc wrote: “the perfect woman, the perfect moment. My forever girl, can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you and our little family.” Cute!
For Valentine’s Day last year, he absolutely gushed over his love, writing that his life is “so much better” with her by his side.
“Not only do you hold our family together, you push us all to be better every day,” he continued. “You are an amazing role model to myself and our boys, your work ethic and drive is second to none and everything you do is about ensuring we have everything we need in life.”
Australian Survivor airs at 7.30pm, Sundays and Mondays, only on 10 and 10 Play on Demand.
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