How Canberra Raiders skipper Jarrod Croker is aiming to prove the doubters wrong in 2022

With a revamped knee and plenty of competition, a rejuvenated Jarrod Croker is ready to prove the doubters wrong and claim his place in an increasingly crowded Canberra backline.

The Raiders long-time skipper made his return for the Green Machine last week after offseason stem cell injections to his knee, a procedure aimed at saving his career.

There were promising signs for Croker in the 32-18 win over the Roosters, where he scored a try, played far more minutes than originally anticipated and even filled in at five-eighth for the first time since his junior days.

Croker will again line up for the Raiders in their final trial against Manly on Friday night and is expected to get a light hit out off the bench.

He'll do so with renewed confidence in his knee after getting through the first hit-out unscathed.

«I felt pretty good. I'm not 21 anymore, but It was a good start. I don't want to get too carried away but I was pretty happy with it,» Croker said.

«There wasn't many nerves, maybe on Monday and Tuesday when I was thinking about and I thought I'd be nervous once I got closer to the game but I wasn't. Once we got away on the trip, playing cards with the boys and carrying on, I was straight back into it.

»I've done a full offseason of rehab and a month of hard training, so I've done a lot of work."

For Croker, 2021 wasn't just one of the toughest seasons of his career physically, but mentally as well.

When shoulder and knee problems limited him to just 12 games, few of which were at the high standard he'd set through his long career with the Raiders, the knives came out for Croker for the first time in his career.

Some fans and media called for Croker to medically retire, something he says he never seriously considered. 

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