Canberra Raiders' co-captain Jarrod Croker is set to seek a potentially career-saving stem cell surgery on his knee.
Croker has been a shell of the player he once was throughout the 2021 season, only managing 12 games for the battling Green Machine, who missed the finals on for and against.
It was a dismal season for Ricky Stuart's side, and while Croker loves the club dearly, he only managed a single try, a single try assist and nine tackle busts in his 12 games, while his defence also suffered.
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The veteran brings with him a mountain of experience and is unlikely to ever play for another club, but with the Raiders re-signing a number of young outside backs, Croker's days have appeared numbered.
All of Xavier Savage, Semi Valemei, Sebastian Kris, Harley Smith-Shields and Matt Timoko have agreed to new deals with the club this year, indicating the men from the nation's capital want to go for youth.
It's understood Croker wants to extend his season into a 14th season however, with the 30-year-old set to return to Canberra from Queensland in the coming weeks to discuss the surgery, according to a Canberra Times report.
It's also understood that if the surgery doesn't work, it could be the end of Croker's career, leaving him in no state to continue to play at the top level.
The 291-gamer may struggle for a spot next year against all the youth Canberra have, particularly with Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad's return likely to push Xavier Savage to a wing, although there has also been talk about Nicoll-Klokstad playing in the centres.
