The Manly Sea Eagles are preparing to enter their first preseason in 15 years without former skipper Daly Cherry Evans, and it seems yet another key spine member is set to depart before 2026 even begins as well.
According to the Wide World of Sports, the Sea Eagles have been dealt a major blow, with experienced hooker Lachlan Croker potentially forced into medical retirement due to ongoing knee and concussion issues.
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – APRIL 28: Lachlan Croker of the Sea Eagles celebrates scoring a try during the round 7 NRL match between the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles and the Canberra Raiders at Lottoland on April 28, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Croker has battled persistent injuries for more than 18 months, and there are growing fears he may have already played his final NRL game.
The Sea Eagles are reportedly in talks with the NRL about a possible medical retirement and salary cap dispensation, given the seriousness of Croker’s condition.
“He’s had a couple of surgeries on the knee and then suffered a serious concussion in training midway through the year,” a club insider told Wide World of Sports.
“The medical retirement is a complicated process that we are just exploring with the NRL.”
A Sea Eagles official described Croker as “a fine player and an even better person.”
Croker still has one year remaining on his contract, but with the club releasing Gordon Chan Kum Tong earlier this month, Jake Simpkin now looms as the favourite to take the starting hooker role in 2026.
The former Canberra Raiders junior has played 125 NRL games since his debut in 2016, including six seasons at Manly.