The Canberra Raiders are set to trial two new hookers next season, with halfback Josh McCrone being groomed for a positional switch and the club poised to sign Brisbane Broncos rake Kurt Baptiste. McCrone has been training at both half and hooker in the pre-season as the Raiders adapt to new plays under coach Ricky Stuart. Although the 26-year-old has not been given definitive orders about where he will play in 2014, there is growing belief within the club that McCrone could be the solution to Canberra's search for a dynamic dummy-half. Raiders conditioning staff are also preparing McCrone for a potential change, working with him to strip body weight for the extra fitness demands of hooker. McCrone is set to train under specialist consultant and former Raiders hooker Simon Woolford as the pre-season progresses. McCrone played representative football for NSW Country because of his utility value and he had some success with experimental switches to hooker with the Raiders last season. Off-contract at the end of 2014, McCrone conceded it was one of the most pivotal years of his NRL career. He said he still had a lot to prove if he was to go to hooker, but wasn't daunted by a move. ''I've been doing a little bit of hooker but I've been doing a bit of half too, so [Stuart] said he wanted me to tick off both boxes … we'll wait and see,'' McCrone said. ''I don't think I went as well [at hooker last season], as has been reported. I only started there in two games and I didn't seem to punch out too many minutes. When I did start in the halves, by the time I went to hooker the sting had been out of the game. So I still think if I was to play hooker I've got a lot to prove there. ''I'm excited … I've got to push myself harder than I ever have before to get this new contract. It's a massive season for me, my career and livelihood is on the line … there is a bit of pressure there.'' The future of Anthony Milford could also determine where McCrone finally settles, with the teenage sensation capable of playing fullback and in the halves. Milford won't reveal his intentions to stay in Canberra or move to Brisbane until after the World Cup. Canberra's other main hooking option, Glen Buttriss, is set to return from a shoulder reconstruction, but the Raiders are also looking to bolster their depth by signing Baptiste to a one-year deal. A former Junior Kangaroos representative and under-20s hooker of the year in 2011, Baptiste, 22, made his NRL debut for the Broncos that season but was struck out with a shoulder reconstruction. Baptiste's manager Simon Mammino said he had received an offer from London Broncos in the English Super League, but his preference was to stay in the NRL. ''We've been in discussions for a long time and it's getting closer to a finale,'' Mammino said. ''For the development of the player it's not a hard sell, because they've got the runs on the board, Canberra, with developing players.''