Jason Croker
A Canberra Raiders stalwart whose versatility and club-record games played made him a cornerstone of their 1990s success.
Born 1973 (age 53)·Australia international rugby league footballer·Birthday: March 10·Generation X
Biography
Jason Croker emerged from the Australian rugby league heartlands to become the ultimate club man for the Canberra Raiders. Debuting in 1991, his career was defined by a rugged utility value; he could, and did, play almost every position on the field with hard-nosed effectiveness. This adaptability made him indispensable as the Raiders clinched the 1994 premiership, with Croker a key figure in the forward pack. His loyalty and durability saw him amass a then-record number of appearances and tries for the club, a testament to his consistency and toughness. After over a decade in green, he brought his experience to the Catalans Dragons in France, helping to establish the Super League club before retiring as one of the last active links to Canberra's golden era.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Jason was born in 1973, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jason Was Born
The biggest hits of 1973
#1 Movie
The Exorcist
Best Picture
The Sting
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Jason's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1973Born
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1978Started school
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1986Became a teenager
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Could drive
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1991Could vote
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Turned 21
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2003Turned 30
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 40
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 50
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 53 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the 1994 NSWRL Premiership (Winfield Cup) with the Canberra Raiders.
- Set the Canberra Raiders club record for most first-grade games played, a record he held for years.
- Became the Canberra Raiders' all-time leading try-scorer, a record highlighting his attacking prowess from the forward positions.
- Represented Australia in international rugby league and played for New South Wales in State of Origin.
- Played a foundational role for the Catalans Dragons in their early Super League seasons.
Did You Know?
His son, Cameron Croker, also played professional rugby league.
He played his first and last games for the Canberra Raiders exactly 15 years apart.
In his record-setting 318th game for Canberra, he scored a try.
“I'll play wherever the coach needs me, as long as I'm on the field.”
