Champion centre Jarrod Croker is ready for one last run in Canberra’s NRL side, declaring he’s fit to return to action just days after announcing he’ll retire at the end of the season.
Croker told teammates late last week 2023 would be his last season and confirmed the news in a press conference on Monday, but has vowed to win his first-grade position back and help the Raiders fight for finals success.
Relief met the 32-year-old when he finally made the call to hang up the boots, admitting his body and mind didn’t have another gruelling pre-season in them.
“It’s a game just getting quicker, training is hard, pre-season is hard, the body cops more knocks than usual and takes longer to recover,” Croker said.
“Training is hard every session, you’ve got to be physically and mentally ready for every session, video, all those sorts of things that just add up and compound.
“Once the body starts feeling it a little bit, your mind start thinking that as well.
“Of course I’m gonna miss it, it’s human nature, but it has to happen at some point and the time is right with that.”
Having battled a stack of injuries in recent years and spent plenty of time at NSW Cup level, Croker said he was proud he’d stuck to the task and won his first-grade spot back, notching up his 300th game earlier this season.
His most recent injury, a hamstring niggle, has sidelined him for the Raiders’ past two games, but he was confident a fitness test on Monday afternoon would show him ready to return.
That couldn’t come at a more appropriate time for his team, annihilated 48-2 by Melbourne on Sunday to leave their spot in the finals in some doubt.
“I don’t like talking too much about it when I’m not out there and we’re all hurting – coaches, staff, players, players that didn’t play, fans,” he said.
“We’ve got to get in and address it (on Monday) … I’ve got to get back, make sure my body’s right, my head is right, get back in there on Wednesday and try and lift the boys out and get them going again.
“We know what we’re capable of, we know if we show up, play our best football and then we can beat any team.”
And while Croker’s playing days at the Green Machine might be numbered, the club’s all-time leading try and points scorer confirmed he was in discussions about returning next season in an off-field role.
“I’d love to be a part of the club still … they won’t be able to get rid of me that easily,” he said with a laugh.
“I love the club, I love the game, I’d still like to be involved … obviously plenty of family time as well.”
By Alex Mitchell in Canberra
