Luckless Canberra veteran Jarrod Croker has his sights set on an NRL return with the Raiders in 2023, but knows a spot in Ricky Stuart's side won't be handed to him as he continues to recover from season-ending shoulder surgery.
After going under the knife midway through last season, his 14th for the Green Machine, Croker's 2022 campaign was capped at just one appearance, having suffered the setback in his side's Round 9 bout with the Bulldogs.
The ailment curtailed the 32-year-old's season after just returning from the casualty ward, with further setbacks forcing Croker to the sidelines for the foreseeable future and raising questions over his chances of competing in the NRL ever again.