Inglis and Cronk played in four grand finals together at Melbourne Storm, won two of them (2007, 2009), and played in the halves together in two of those matches.
On Saturday night, each will be trying to keep the other out of next Sunday's Telstra Premiership grand final.
The preliminary final between the Rabbitohs and Roosters has many storylines. The friendship formed between 31-year-old Inglis and 34-year-old Cronk in Storm, Queensland and Australian sides, is one line that extends the longest and deepest.