Why Canberra captain Jarrod Croker will always bleed green

Because the Canberra Raiders "won't be able to get rid of me that easily".

The end of Canberra's NRL campaign will double as the final chapter in Croker's playing career, the 305-game veteran poised to retire this season.

Talks are already under way to keep Croker at the club's Braddon headquarters beyond this season with a number of roles being discussed by the Raiders captain and Canberra chief executive Don Furner.

Canberra is looking to fill an opening in club's wellbeing and education department with Sia Soliola moving to Newcastle. The Raiders could also find a place for Croker to join the football department.

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Anyone looking for a goal-kicking coach? If, of course, Croker can keep the tee away from his three-year-old son Rory for long enough.

"Donny is going to put him on a contract anyway and get him ready to go," Croker grinned before Rory charged onto the club's training field and started lining up conversion attempts.

For now, Croker has a job to finish as a player. The Raiders are fighting to secure their place in the top eight ahead of a clash with Canterbury at Canberra Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Only when the season ends will Croker plot his next move - that is, between days spent trackside during racing's spring carnival, and the Sundays he can spend enjoying a beer without worrying about being run ragged at pre-season training the next morning.

"I'd love to be a part of the club still. I love this club and they won't be able to get rid of me that easily," Croker said.

"I love the club, I love the game, I'd still like to be involved. Obviously plenty of family time as well. The job at hand is still the rest of my footy career as well.

"I'm sure we'll open up some opportunities after the season finishes. There's a couple of things there, but in the meantime, it's just footy.

"I moved to Canberra from Goulburn as a 17-year-old, went straight into under-20s, and that's all I've done - wake up and go to training since I was 17, 18 years old.

"There is a sense of excitement, there are going to be times there I miss it. That's human nature. I'm sure [wife] Brittney will enjoy me not whinging about getting down on my hands and knees to change a nappy every morning."

If only for a moment, the Crokers floated the idea of heading to an English Super League club. But the 32-year-old is more than happy to hang up the boots for good - even if a few old boys at Goulburn want to see him pull on the maroon and blue of the Bulldogs.

If Croker finds a job outside rugby league, the Raiders would never be far.

Because Rory spends every morning reeling off names of Raiders players on the poster on his wall, before asking dad if he can come to training. Croker jokes Brittney is probably sick of her son singing The Mighty Green Machine on repeat. Give it time, and Tate will probably be doing the same.

"This has been a long time coming in discussions with Jarrod over his career at this club and how he would like it to finish up," Furner said.

"Over the last couple of weeks, chatting to him about his body and how hard the game is, it's a sad day but a happy day for the Raiders. We'd love to keep Jarrod involved in the club.

"He's been the best sportsman, the best player, and the best captain this club has had. The way he has played the game, the way he is respected by his players, the humility he showed when he spoke to the players last week just summed him up.

"No one has played in a better spirit than Jarrod Croker. That's why he's admired, that's why kids put headgear on and want to wear the No.3 jersey locally.

"We're very lucky to have had a Jarrod Croker at our club. It's a sad day but a happy day in that he can now plan the rest of his life and hopefully some of that life is still a part of the Raiders."

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