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Jarrod Croker: about to destroy record books near you

BadnMean

Juniors
Messages
1,132
Croker’s my favourite player, has been for some time. So I’ll defend him more than most. But the reality is he hasn’t played a good game for at least 2 years.

Unlike others, I was excited to see he had signed a 4 year contract last year because I was convinced he would snap out of his slump, see out his contract and become the greatest point scorer in the history of the game.

But he shows absolutely no signs of snapping out of it, in fact he’s getting worse. The run of injuries to our reserve outside backs will probably save him for the time being, so hopefully he can use this time to get back to his best. If he doesn’t, then he’s probably done.

Did you see him in the sheds after the game? He knows he's cooked mate.

If Ricky wants to keep dropping forwards + picking Toots every week while he plays like a busted arse then he'll lose the squad. Stuff like that gets right up a players nose if you leave it there stinking long enough.
 

tumbidragon

First Grade
Messages
6,771
Did you see him in the sheds after the game? He knows he's cooked mate.

If Ricky wants to keep dropping forwards + picking Toots every week while he plays like a busted arse then he'll lose the squad. Stuff like that gets right up a players nose if you leave it there stinking long enough.
Particularly when you're the merkin that got dropped with a third of the shit games under your belt than old mate locking down a starting spot week in week out.
 

aqua_duck

Coach
Messages
18,629
Croker’s my favourite player, has been for some time. So I’ll defend him more than most. But the reality is he hasn’t played a good game for at least 2 years.

Unlike others, I was excited to see he had signed a 4 year contract last year because I was convinced he would snap out of his slump, see out his contract and become the greatest point scorer in the history of the game.

But he shows absolutely no signs of snapping out of it, in fact he’s getting worse. The run of injuries to our reserve outside backs will probably save him for the time being, so hopefully he can use this time to get back to his best. If he doesn’t, then he’s probably done.
Whilst Croker has never been a stand out athlete you'd think after 12-13 years in a 1st grade system he'd develop abit of physicality but he still plays like a 70kg halfback
 

typicalfan

Coach
Messages
15,488
Doesn't help that Scott is just as bad for the Raiders, maybe worse. Can't just give guys jerseys on reputation.
 

Pete Cash

Post Whore
Messages
62,165
Did you see him in the sheds after the game? He knows he's cooked mate.

If Ricky wants to keep dropping forwards + picking Toots every week while he plays like a busted arse then he'll lose the squad. Stuff like that gets right up a players nose if you leave it there stinking long enough.

I just worry about the contract

There is a perception among our fanbase that he loves the club and will do the right thing. maybe he will but he's also got a young family and it's ~2.1 million sitting on the table
 

shear_joy9

Coach
Messages
13,743
Did you see him in the sheds after the game? He knows he's cooked mate.

If Ricky wants to keep dropping forwards + picking Toots every week while he plays like a busted arse then he'll lose the squad. Stuff like that gets right up a players nose if you leave it there stinking long enough.

the entire squad knows he’s cooked as well. To save embarrassment they let him stay a co-captain despite the world knowing Hodgson is only one.

It’s actually pretty funny how often they will cutout Croker in the backline straight to Rapana. They have all seen him struggling to bench press 50kg and getting outrun by the players nanas at training
 

myrrh ken

First Grade
Messages
9,817
Whilst Croker has never been a stand out athlete you'd think after 12-13 years in a 1st grade system he'd develop abit of physicality but he still plays like a 70kg halfback

That's the funny thing. You expect for him to a least defend like a wily veteran and/or make the most of his physical limitations. Sometimes he pulls out the miracle pass, but he often plays like a reserve grader. He is def on the decline.
 

Pete Cash

Post Whore
Messages
62,165
Croker had 3 stages of his career

1. A good skilled centre with a massive flaw that he could not defend guys who were a lot bigger than him. He took some absolute baths off bigger centres early in his career.

2. His peak where he was able to hold his own somewhat and was still able to get in between tackles, finish off tries, etc

3. Whatever physicality he had is going really quickly and he is struggling.

In 2016 he had a very good season for example but the last few years he has been falling off. I wonder if thats a combination of the game passing players like him by and his own body failing. I think he is simply not athletic enough for the modern game and if we go back to early Jarrod Croker i wonder had he came through in 2021 if he would have been undersized.

Anyway it is what it is. I take no pleasure in it. the guy scored a lot of points for us and was a good NRL level centre for a period of time but we need some athletes outwide and the guy aint it
 

edabomb

First Grade
Messages
7,194
He's reminding me of Nathan Merritt, when the game just passed him by within a space of 6-12 months. It's just madness that Croker is contracted another three years after this.
 
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legend

Coach
Messages
15,150
The rule changes have killed his career and the Raiders season. The whole squad looks horribly unfit and have not adapted to the new changes at all. Whitehead has been shit too, along with Hodgson and Croker.

We would be the oldest team in the NRL by a fair margin with at least five players over 30, and 30 is the life expectancy these days unless your surname is Morris.

I'd have the utmost respect for Croker is he did a Merrin and retired on the spot. Then he would be a true club legend who put the team and the fans first.
 

Smug Panther

First Grade
Messages
7,004
The biggest question is who Raiders fans will appoint as the next NRL level plodder they all demand is good enough for Origin?
Croker was the latest in a long history with other notable shit players such as Allan Tounge and Shawn Fensom
 
Messages
15,431

nick87

Coach
Messages
12,382
The biggest question is who Raiders fans will appoint as the next NRL level plodder they all demand is good enough for Origin?
Croker was the latest in a long history with other notable shit players such as Allan Tongue and Shawn Fensom

A rigorous voting process will take place once Croker leaves. As always, this will be a matter that great care and diligence is taken. I could offer opinions and thoughts about who might be in line to wear the crown, heavy as it is. But I wouldn't dare risk the integrity of the process by publicly naming players...


....


Ahh who am i kidding, Fat Boy Hors is absolutely odds on for this. Half the fan base reckons he'd have played for QLD last year if he didn't get hurt. Others i consider to be real contenders... Seb Kris who is riding a strong "he's not Croker" wave of momentum and Hudson Young, who i think when he gets his eye in, or someone else's, he has a real chance to gauge out a place in the Blues bench in the next 18 months
 
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Fufu Andronez

First Grade
Messages
8,464
f**king bellyache. When will people learn, if he is willing to let someone break contract early, THEY ARE NOT WORTH IT.

Case in point Curtis Scott, he had no problem letting him bounce out early. Addo Carr and Brandon Smith on the other hand are held to their contracts. Sticky should have known better, isn't he like best mates with him?
 

aqua_duck

Coach
Messages
18,629
f**king bellyache. When will people learn, if he is willing to let someone break contract early, THEY ARE NOT WORTH IT.

Case in point Curtis Scott, he had no problem letting him bounce out early. Addo Carr and Brandon Smith on the other hand are held to their contracts. Sticky should have known better, isn't he like best mates with him?
Yep Bellamy knows when its time to give up on a player, last year he let go of Croft, Scott and Stimson who were all highly touted at one stage and all 3 have been rubbish since being cut adrift.
 

BadnMean

Juniors
Messages
1,132
f**king bellyache. When will people learn, if he is willing to let someone break contract early, THEY ARE NOT WORTH IT.

Case in point Curtis Scott, he had no problem letting him bounce out early. Addo Carr and Brandon Smith on the other hand are held to their contracts. Sticky should have known better, isn't he like best mates with him?

Bellyache is absolutely the type of *unt who would stitch up his best mate by selling him a lemon car too.
 
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