Jarrod Croker says Raiders must deliver on their potential
For so long Canberra have dined out on being a finals contender. But skipper Jarrod Croker says it’s time to stop talking about how good his side can be and actually deliver on their potential.
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Jarrod Croker insists “something has got to give” as the Canberra Raiders approach a make or break season.
For so long the Raiders have dined out on being a potential finals team.
But having featured in the finals just once in the past six years, Croker said it was time to stop talking about how good his side could be and actually deliver on their potential.
“It’s nearly make or break,” Croker said.
“I’ve been asked it a little bit. I don’t feel it but I feel something has got to give. We’ve said for a while now we have a squad that can play semi-finals football but until we start producing we can’t really say that.
“It’s a big off-season.
“We have to come out all guns blazing (to start the year). We can’t be chasing our tails again like the last two years.
“We have to start well. That’s the first thing on the agenda. We are a confidence side. If we start well that will flow into the rest of the season and who knows where we can go. That’s the main plan at the moment.”
The Raiders have stripped everything back this pre-season according to Croker.
New assistant coaches Andrew McFadden and Brett White have added a new dimension while the club has revamped its testing procedures.
“There is no formula with how we change,” Croker said.
“We’ve lost a few players that have been at the club for a couple of years.
“That’s a change in itself. New trainers, new drills, new assistant coaches. It feels like a fresh vibe around training. It feels like a fresh start for everyone. That’s the way I’m looking at it.
“We’ve done everything differently. We’ve done different testing. Everything is back to square one. That’s the best way we can look at it.”
The revamp has not been restricted to just on the field for the Raiders with Croker looking at different ways to improve his leadership.
The 27-year-old is just seven games shy of skippering the Raiders on 100 occasions with his leadership tested in recent seasons as Canberra struggled.
“We’re doing some stuff leadership-wise,” Croker said.
“I’m looking to get more feedback from others. I’d like to know what people whose opinion I respect think what I’m like as a leader and get their opinion on what I can do better.
“We always have our leadership groups but we’ve stripped everything back and are starting afresh.
“You don’t start pointing fingers. We always speak about circling the wagons and hanging together.
“I feel like if we turned on each other or lost confidence we would’ve finished a lot lower. In the last few years although we haven’t made the finals we had every right to drop off but we’ve gone out and finished the season well.
“I’d never use the word burden (to describe captaincy). There is a lot of weight. First thing’s first, I want to play good footy as a leader and captain. If I’m doing that I can be more of a help. That’s my main goal.
“Hopefully I’ve been doing it the past couple of years. I never feel any extra pressure. If you can’t handle that you shouldn’t be there.
“There are always tough times and tough losses.”
Croker was restricted to just 17 games during the 2018 campaign — the only time he has played less than 20 games in a season since making his debut in 2009.
He insists he is recovering well from his knee injury and is a certain starter for round one — despite missing the last two months of this year.
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Originally published as Jarrod Croker says Raiders must deliver on their potential
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