When Jarrod Croker hands over his white headgear to young fans after Canberra games, he often gets a blank look in response.

"I've given the headgear over and you can tell these kids are just thinking, 'who the hell is this bloke – he isn't Johnathan Thurston'," Croker says with a laugh. "I've never actually had one thrown back at me like JT. But I've had a few kids give me a sour look. Their parents will almost nudge them and whisper, 'just take it'."

Jarrod Croker's white headgear is unlikely to become as famous as Johnathan Thurston's, but he'll likely end his career with some amazing NRL records. Credit:NRL Photos

But these post-game gestures sum up Croker and his standing in the NRL: a guy who is always smiling and has a heart of gold, but is also rarely recognised for his deeds and achievements.

The Sun-Herald initially wanted to interview Raiders coach Ricky Stuart about the Green Machine's great start to the season. The team that lost Shannon Boyd, Junior Paulo and Blake Austin, expanded their English contingent and were meant to be closer to the bottom of the ladder than the top. The team that, if they win by seven points on Sunday, will be on top of the NRL ladder.