So determined is Jarrod Croker to be fit for round one, the Canberra Raiders co-captain doesn't want to even consider who could come in to cover for him.
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Speaking for the first time since undergoing shoulder surgery last week, Croker said the operation went well and he's already set his sights on round one of the 2021 NRL season.
He'll have his shoulder in a brace for the next six weeks and then the rehabilitation will begin in earnest.
In the meantime, he's got his father-in-law helping around the house.
While he might be sidelined from the house work, Croker planned not to spend any time on the sideline next year.
The Raiders have a few options to cover him if he isn't ready in time for the season opener - Jordan Rapana could play in the centres again, while youngsters Matt Timoko, Harley Smith-Shields and Caleb Aekins were also options.
Not that Croker's planning to give them a sniff.
"I'm hopeful for round one. I'm a pretty good healer. I don't have many injuries and when I do they heal pretty quickly," he said.
"There would [a couple of options], but I don't like not playing. My goal will be to play round one and not give anyone else that first crack."
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Amazingly, Croker hurt his shoulder with his very first tackle of the preliminary final against eventual premiers Melbourne Storm, but was able to play through the pain and finish the game.
He felt something go when he tackled Storm winger Suliasi Vunivalu in just the second minute.
Given he's never had an upper-body injury before, Croker was unsure what he'd done - other than he could feel his shoulder click in and out.
The 30-year-old then finished the job when he hurt it again early in the second half.
But it wasn't until he got the diagnosis from the doctor that he realised how serious it was.
He had surgery last week on a torn labrum and a ruptured rotator cuff, and the time in the brace will also allow his knee to heal from some bone bruising.
"It had been a bit sore and weaker throughout the back end of the year. I had a bit of a knock on it," Croker said.
"But it was nothing compared to everyone else's injuries.
"I think it was the first tackle of the game against Melbourne. I landed with my arm straight out.
"I felt a bit of a click in the back of my arm, but I've never had any upper-body injury at all so I didn't know whether it was good or bad so I just kept going.
"It clicked in and out four times in the first half ... so they strapped me up and sent me back out.
"Straight after half-time, I think it was off a scrum, and I got wrong footed and the arm was stretched out.
"It was already bad, but it felt worse after that one."
Croker said it was a similar injury to what Rapana suffered playing for New Zealand in 2018.
They both needed to have part of their bicep re-attached.
Rapana dislocated his shoulder playing for the Kiwis in 2018 and was back for round two of the following NRL season.
A similar four-and-a-half-month timeframe would see Croker back match-ready at the start of March - a couple of weeks ahead of the likely season start.
"Rapa did his a couple of years ago and got back quite quickly," he said.
"His was the same because they actually had to reattach some of my bicep as well, which I didn't know about, and Rapa's was the same.
"It's after you get the brace off how much work you can do then to get the movement back that's the main part."
David Polkinghorne
Covering the Raiders, Cavalry, cycling and racing, plus everything else that involves sport in the ACT, for The Canberra Times. Basically I love sport and watching it is a full-time job. Email: david.polkinghorne@canberratimes.com.au
Covering the Raiders, Cavalry, cycling and racing, plus everything else that involves sport in the ACT, for The Canberra Times. Basically I love sport and watching it is a full-time job. Email: david.polkinghorne@canberratimes.com.au
