Five Key Stats
Games | 27
Tries | 18
Points | 296
Linebreaks | 15
All Running Metres | 2,599
Best Match of the Season
Semi-Final | Raiders 22 defeated Panthers 12
Croker's first finals win as captain was a moment to saviour in front of a huge home crowd at GIO Stadium. Scoring a try and kicking five crucial goals, Croker led from the front as the Raiders secured their first preliminary finals berth in the NRL era.
Summary
Dally M Captain of the Year, Provan-Summons Medal Winner, top point-scorer and couple of huge Raiders records. Jarrod Croker's 2016 season was mammoth!
In his second season as captain, Croker started the season off strongly at the Auckland Nines in early February. Playing alongside namesakes Lachlan and Jason Croker was an early season highlight for Jarrod.
Once the NRL season started it was clear that Croker had taken his game to another level, remaining one of the best attacking centres in the competition, while also becoming a rock for the Raiders in defence.
His inspirational individual efforts propelled the Raiders to ten-straight wins and second spot on the ladder, earning Croker and the Raiders their first finals appearance in four years.
Along the way Croker collected two huge individual records, breaking the Raiders all-time leading point-scoring record in Round 10 against the Dragons and breaking the Raiders most points in a season record in Round 24 against the Eels.
Croker's season ended in devastating fashion, injuring his knee badly in the opening stages of the Raiders preliminary final loss to the Storm. Battling through the match on practically one leg, Croker was unable to perform at his usual level.
After being selected in the Kangaroos train-on squad, the severity of the knee injury also ruled Croker out of making the final cut for the Four Nations tour.
Croker's tremendous season was rewarded at the Dally M awards night, collecting the Captain of the Year, fan's choice Provan-Summons medal and top point-scorer award for the second year in a row.
Nine matches away from 200 NRL games, and only two tries away from cracking a century of four-pointers, look out in 2017 for plenty more records and highlight reel moments from our captain.
