‘My body knows it’s time for me to retire’: Canberra Raiders captain Jarrod Croker to retire at the end of 2023

Canberra captain Jarrod Croker has announced he will retire from the NRL at the end of the season after 15 seasons and more than 300 matches for the club.

The veteran centre informed his teammates of his decision late last week and is hoping to return to the field soon to help his side qualify for the finals after a difficult month.

The 32-year-old was a key figure in Canberra’s sensational Toyota Cup premiership side of 2008 and has been a mainstay in the NRL since he made his debut the following season.

Croker holds the records for the Raiders in points scored (2358) and tries scored (135), while he also sits third on the list of all-time NRL point scorers behind Cameron Smith and Hazem El Masri.

The local junior joined the 300 club earlier in the year on an emotional night in Canberra after he was rested to make sure he played the milestone game in front of his home fans.

Croker said the decision to retire from the game was something that had been on his mind in recent times, and he felt like now was the right time after dealing with several serious shoulder injuries in recent years.

“I’ve been weighing the decision up over the past couple of weeks and although my heart and mind wants to keep playing for the club I love, the reality is that my body knows it’s time for me to retire,” Croker said.

“I’m comfortable with the decision I’ve made and I now get to spend the remainder of the year working alongside my teammates as we look to push towards the finals.”

Croker will go down as a Raiders legend having won the club’s player of the year award, the Dally M Captain of the year award and the Provan-Summons Medal, while he was also the captain alongside Josh Hodgson when the Raiders made the 2019 grand final.

“I’ve got lots of people to thank including my wife Brittney, my sons Rory and Tate, my mum and dad and all my family and friends, but I’ll have an opportunity to do that at the end of the season,” he said.

“Right now, my focus remains on the team and us looking to win a premiership.”

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart said the Raiders would always be home for Croker and he would finish his career as one of the best to ever represent the club.

“Jarrod Croker will go down as one of the legends of this club,” he said.

“His achievements and his selflessness for the jersey are everything you want in a player and he will retire from the game alongside some of the greats to wear the green jersey.

“Jarrod is a local boy from Goulburn who played his entire career from junior representatives right through to 300 games in the NRL and he is the perfect example of what it is to be a Raider.

“Jarrod Croker is and will always be a Canberra Raider.”