But whether his knee can be right in time to give him at least one more game before retiring is another matter altogether.

''I've been pretty lucky my whole career, but the last four months I've come across this knee injury,'' Mogg said.

''I think my body has just decided to retire on me.

''I've got two kids and I want to have a quality of life after footy, that's important to me. I haven't been able to train the way I like to for the past four months and if I can't improve, then there's no point playing.''

Mogg still rates himself a chance of playing the Penrith Panthers in the opening round of finals on Saturday night.

But it was an arthroscope on his knee last week which confirmed his worst fears retirement.

The cartilage damage is so bad he will require a major operation at the end of the year.

For now, he will battle through pain to try and get back on the field to help the Raiders' finals campaign.

The veteran back trained with the squad yesterday.

But he and coach David Furner will make a final decision tomorrow on whether he will play against the Panthers.

Mogg returned to the Raiders in May after a stint with Les Catalans Dragons in France.

He has played 14 games since and had been negotiating another year in the capital.

Mogg's happy to start life after rugby league.

But first he wants to help the Canberra Raiders break a 16-season premiership drought.

For more on this story, including news that Alan Tongue has ruled himself out of this weekend's match, see the print edition of today's Canberra Times.