Michael Oldfield feared his season was over when he suffered a knee injury last month but he could return to the Green Machine's starting side in the final fortnight of the season.

Oldfield's comeback from a medial ligament issue has progressed far quicker than he thought but he concedes a return against the Sydney Roosters at Canberra Stadium on Sunday is "too ambitious".

Croker sported a knee brace when he joined fellow rehabilitation-ridden Raiders Oldfield, Ata Hingano - who is still in a moon boot - and the suspended Jack Wighton at the Cranleigh Special School on Monday.

He has been left to lament the fact he will miss out on wearing Canberra's Ricky Stuart Foundation jersey this weekend amidst a tough run of outs for the Green Machine, which has forced him to turn his attention towards the start of pre-season in late October.

"It’s tough, last week was the first time I’d ever missed three games of footy in a row in my life. I’m on to four now and I’ve still got a bit to go," Croker said.

"Still another three or four weeks [in the brace], it goes to 90 degrees today so small steps but it’s slowly getting there.

"I should be full running by the end of September or start of October so I’ll be right to go by [the start of pre-season], which is rough timing but I’ll be into it.

"It’s not the most enjoyable place [in rehabilitation] and it’s good in a way to have people there, but it’s bad for the team to have players injured there. We’re all here for the long haul as well, Oldy and Ata.

"It’s not really enjoyable but we’re trying to make the most of it, and using the opportunity to rest up the body a little bit as well, it’s copped a bit of a battering over the years so it’s a bit of a freshen up."

Croker collapsed in a heap during round 18 with a dislocated knee spelling an end to his season. His first replacement was Oldfield, who failed to see out Canberra's next game.

It was a cruel blow for the 27-year-old, who had been banging down the door on the back of impressive showings for Mounties in the NSW Cup.

It has forced Canberra coach Stuart to use a host of different combinations in his backline but Oldfield is hoping he can return to fill the void despite the Raiders being out of finals contention.

"Most definitely [a chance]. It’s progressed a lot better than I anticipated. In the first week I thought their ruling on me out for the season was about right," Oldfield said.

"Ever since that first week I’ve come on in leaps and bounds, I’m progressing with my rehab pretty quick. I think I’ll be alright for at least one game.

"This week is probably a bit too ambitious, I’m not going to rule myself out. We’ll just see how the week goes. I’m accelerating through the rehab program but I don't want to push it too much.

"We’ve got no chance of making the finals so there is no pressure in that sense but for myself, I’d just like to be ready as soon as I can. If I can get in that team, I’ll get in the team."

Josh Hodgson has assumed the captaincy role in Croker's absence and he will be free to play this week after entering an early guilty plea for a dangerous throw on Luke Garner during last Sunday's loss to the Wests Tigers.

NRL ROUND 23

Sunday: Canberra Raiders v Sydney Roosters at Canberra Stadium, 4.10pm. Tickets from Ticketek.