Welcome to the club: Jarrod Croker to join Jason Croker in elite group of Canberra Raiders

Because since he reached the milestone in 2006, the bloke who came into grade on the wing and left as a tough as teak back-rower has been the only member of the Canberra Raiders' 300 club.

Until, touch wood, Friday night.

That's when Jarrod Croker faces the New Zealand Warriors at Canberra Stadium and joins his namesake as one of two Raiders to play 300 games for the club.

"He's been my son, my nephew. He's been called Jason, I've been called Jarrod, we're both good sorts," Jason laughed.

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Whether they've got distant family ties or any relation at all depends on who you talk to. Jarrod's old man Greg tips they're something like fourth cousins: "Croker and Croker, you'd think we'd be bloody related".

All Jason says is it will be nice to have some company in Canberra's 300 club after he reached the mark in the opening round of the 2006 season, and played the last of his 318 games in green in a qualifying final loss to the Canterbury Bulldogs later that year.

Yet the veteran back-rower wasn't content to walk away with five Tests, five State of Origin appearances and a premiership as part of a Green Machine dynasty to his name. Instead, he spent three years in the south of France before finally hanging up the boots.

For years it has felt like Jarrod wouldn't get that same chance to finish on his terms.

The 32-year-old has fended off medical retirement with revolutionary stem cell surgery on his knee. He had already gone under the knife for a shoulder reconstruction.

There came a time Raiders coach Ricky Stuart sat down with him over coffee and asked if he was really sure he wanted to keep putting his body through the struggle.

But he did, forcing his way back into the top grade after starting the year in NSW Cup. Look up the word resilience in the dictionary and you might just find a picture of one Jarrod Croker.

"It will be good to have Jarrod in [the 300 club], because it didn't look like it was going to happen," Jason said.

"From what he's been through over the past couple of years to be playing reggies which he had to do to get himself right, he's done that. Full credit to him, because a lot of people might have just dug their heels in and had a big sook about it. It just says a lot about the bloke, doesn't it?

"He had a pretty good run without injury, and then all of a sudden, bang. It was looking like he was not going to play first grade again. He hung in, dug in, trained and got his body right, and now we're seeing the results of it.

"The boys weren't travelling too well and he slipped in, he's got that aura about him. The team has gone well since he's been back in the side. He's lifted them."

The team, and a fan base who were desperately searching for answers following a forgettable start to the season.

Now kids will be decked out in white headgear and Croker tees, those old enough sipping beers with a commemorative cooler in hand. It's the closest thing to an NRL finals atmosphere you could find in Canberra at this time of year. Just how will Jarrod feel when he runs onto the field?

"When you get to it, it's another game of footy. You look back on it when you finish, and that's what it's about," Jason said.

"When you're playing the game, milestones, you don't care. It's when you finish, that's all you have left, memories."

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