The RFL
Croker set to carry on
Jason Croker is enjoying his new lease of life so much that he is set to take the mantle of engage Super League’s oldest player into 2009.
Croker, who celebrated his 35th birthday in March, defies the logic that decrees modern rugby league is a young man’s game.
He could lose his tag if former New Zealand captain Ruben Wiki, who turns 36 in January, is granted his wish to end his career in England and Croker, tongue in cheek, admits: “That would take the pressure off me!”
Given recent form, both men could challenge the Super League record set by another overseas player, Brad Davis, who was 38 when he made his final comeback for Castleford Tigers in 2006.
“I haven’t decided about next year yet,” said Croker. “I haven’t spoken to my manager yet but hopefully I’ll make a decision in a couple of weeks about whether to play again or to finish up.
“I’m still feeling good and the body’s still holding up. I’m injury-free, which is a bonus, and I’m still enjoying my footie and that’s the main thing. But it doesn’t bother me about being the oldest player. It’s water off a duck’s back.”
The veteran Australian forward has been a mainstay during Catalans Dragons’ vastly-improved run of form - a spell that has given them an outside chance of pulling off a remarkable engage Super League and Carnegie Challenge Cup double.
The Dragons have surged into second place in the league on the back of a club record eight-match unbeaten run and they take on Bradford Bulls in the fifth round of the cup on Sunday for a place in the last eight.
Croker, who joined the Perpignan club at the start of last season after a long and distinguished career with Canberra, was in the Catalans team that made history by reaching last year’s Wembley final and he has set his sights on going one step further this time by lifting the trophy.
“It was a good experience for me playing at Wembley, one of the highlights, but it will be bit harder this year,” he said. “You only play four games and you’re in the final but we’ve a tough run ahead of us.”
Bradford were the last team to beat the Dragons, courtesy of a last-minute converted try in Perpignan in March, and Croker expects Sunday’s tie at Odsal to be just as close.
“Just about all our games have been like that, which certainly keeps our supporters interested,” said Croker, who scored his second try of the season in the Dragons’ last-gasp 18-16 win over Harlequins RL in Cardiff on Sunday.
“The team is pretty fit and if we can hang in there, we’ve got the confidence to come through but we certainly make it hard on ourselves.
“Hopefully we can put a team away one day. It would be nice to win by more than eight points.
“We’ve got a hard game on Sunday but we’ve beaten them before. They beat us with a minute to go last time so hopefully we can turn the tables around.
“With the way all our games have been, if I was a betting man, I’d say it will be close.”
