Canberra Raiders coach Ricky Stuart believes Jarrod Croker's captaincy will flourish in his third season in the job, adamant the Green Machine can turn pre-season adversity into a positive.
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Raiders enforcer Josh Papalii was involved in a drink-driving incident last weekend and stood down from the club's leadership group after fronting the players.
It was an unwanted pre-season distraction after the club's best season in 20 years lifted it into the preliminary final last year.
Papalii is still waiting to learn his fate from the Australian Federal Police while the NRL Integrity Unit will decide if it imposes any playing-related sanction.
"Adversity and tough times when you're protecting your own bring you closer together and that's what's happened with us," Stuart said.
"Jarrod is a great help to me as well. Our club is player-driven and player-centric.
"They make a lot of the decisions and it comes back to taking a lot of accountability and responsibility for those decisions. It's all about best preparation and best practice.
"When the players buy in you feel proud as a coach because you know they're excited about what they're doing."
Croker is part of the Raiders' leadership group, dubbed 'Club 82', and has stamped himself as an inspirational skipper after just two seasons in charge.
The point-scoring machine is also on the verge of reaching three significant milestones this year, sitting on the cusp of his 200th NRL game, 1500 points and 100 tries.
But the 26-year-old won't be available to play in the Auckland Nines pre-season tournament on February 4-5 as he continues his recovery from a knee injury.
The Raiders will name their squad for the Nines at the end of next week, but injuries and Canberra's growing representative contingent will likely mean a relatively unknown group plays in Auckland.
The Raiders will play pool matches against the North Queensland Cowboys, Sydney Roosters and South Sydney Rabbitohs.
But they could also face a finals showdown with former Canberra hitman Ruben Wiki, who is making a comeback at the age of 44 to play for the New Zealand Warriors.
The Raiders lured Ken Nagas and Jason Croker out of retirement in the past two years, but will resist the temptation of calling on a club legend to join the side this year.
Instead, Stuart says his players can still learn off Wiki, who spent 11 seasons in Canberra and won a premiership in 1994.
"I know our senior players over the years — Jason Croker and Kenny Nagas — they enjoyed the concept of the Nines," said Stuart, who was at the launch of the Wheelchair Sports Summer Down Under series.
"They enjoyed coming back and competing again but what I got most out of it was what my younger players experienced having those guys in the team themselves.
"Both Kenny and Jason spoke to the guys before games and they took it seriously and I think it's a good concept, bringing back some of your senior players who are serious about competing in the Nines."
The Raiders will play one pre-season trial this year, opting for a clash against the Newcastle Knights at the club's spiritual home, Seiffert Oval, on February 18.
