Croker took the knee brace off at the start of the week as he continues his recovery from a dislocated kneecap, but he won't be available for selection until "round four or five at least".

It means he won't play in the Green Machine's season opener away to the North Queensland Cowboys, opening a spot at centre on the left edge.

Croker said there were several options to take his place, including Cotric, former St Helens utility Jordan Turner and former Mounties back Brent Naden.

The departure of winger Edrick Lee to the Cronulla Sharks means Raiders coach Ricky Stuart will also need to find a left wing to face the Cowboys, with Cotric in the running for that spot as well.

Cotric, 18, joined the senior squad this season after getting named in the National Youth Competition team of the year last season.

He was one of the few standouts for the Raiders in their pre-season trial loss to the Newcastle Knights last weekend.

While Croker backed him to be physically ready, he was unsure whether he would play round one.

"Jordan Turner's quite experienced, he's played over 200 Super League games, he's been around for a while and he's quite a smart footballer so he's one of the obvious guys there," Croker said.

"Nick Cotric I thought played quite well on the weekend. He's obviously got a bright future, whether we want to thrust him in the deep end for round one I'm not sure, but he's got a massive future and definitely got the size and the body to be there.

"You saw Brent Naden played pretty well at the [Auckland] Nines as well."

Croker backed star hooker Josh Hodgson's captaincy in his absence, although he conceded his secret might be out.

He joked it wouldn't take Hodgson long to cotton on to how easy he has it in captaining the Raiders given all the experienced leaders he has around him through the likes of Sia Soliola.

"Hodgo's my right hand man, he's always sort of been there. He was the obvious choice," Croker said.

"You've got guys like Sia who are leaders as well, but someone like Sia beats himself from pillar to post every game.

"He probably doesn't have enough energy to go up and talk to the ref as well. Hodgo plays 80 minutes as well, which helps, but I'm looking forward to taking it back off him.

"I think Hodgo will find how easy I've got it with the leaders around and he won't change at all on or off the field."

While injured, Croker said he would spend as much time around the team as he could, helping the outside backs in any way possible.

But he didn't see himself taking up an assistant coaching role or sitting in the coach's box while he's out.

The injury has been frustrating, especially given he's hardly been troubled by injury at all, and he was expecting that frustration to increase the closer round one becomes.

Also growing is the expectation on the Green Machine, having only narrowly missed out on last year's grand final.

Croker encouraged his team to embrace the hype.

"It's something new to us, we haven't had much expectation down here for a while. It's exciting, we've just got to embrace it," he said.

"We've just got to worry about us and how we play. We've got no bigger challenge than the Cowboys at Townsville and then the Sharks at home in the first two weeks so we've just got to go into those games full of confidence and start the ball rolling."