Announcing his retirement from the NRL at the end of last season, Jarrod Croker has returned back to the Canberra Raiders, where he played 300 first-grade games.
Croker's return to the Raiders will not see him lace up the boots but will instead see him join the club's coaching staff under Ricky Stuart. His new role will see him work as an outside back and goal-kicking coach.
As the club icon is looking forward to the new challenge, it is understood that he will primarily work alongside Elite Pathways coach Chris Hutchison but will also work with the NRL and development teams' coaching staff.
“It's an honour to have the opportunity to remain with the Raiders in this new role and I'm really keen to work with players from right across the grades to help them as much as I can.” Croker said.
“I'll be looking to bring my own experiences and what I've learnt over my career, and pass on what I've learnt to the next generation of Raiders players.”
Canberra Raiders CEO Don Furner added to Croker's words stating that his return will see him become a valuable addition to the staff with his knowledge and expertise.
“Jarrod has a wealth of experience and knowledge of the game and we're lucky to have him join the club's coaching staff in this role,” Furner said.
“He is the leading point scorer in club history and sits third on the all-time NRL point scoring list, so his standing among the game in particular his goal kicking is something that will be extremely valuable. Jarrod is a good communicator and will have no problems passing on his knowledge and tips to our young players.
“The fact that he'll also be working with the club's junior representative and Jersey Flegg teams is another huge positive for the club, as they get to learn from someone who has been through the pathway system from under 16's right through to the NRL.”
