Crusaders prop Joe Moody. Photo: Photosport Ltd
The Crusaders play Moana Pasifika in Christchurch on Friday night with Moody and Crotty named in the starting line-up and Franks on the bench.
It could be the trio's last game for the Crusaders altogether.
Currently sitting tenth they must win and have other results go their way to advance to the quarterfinals.
Moody said the prospect of playing his final game for the Crusaders - he hasn't been offered a contract for 2025 - given the way their season has gone was "that make it an even tougher pill to swallow, because you want to go out on a high".
"So disappointed from a personal point of view and from the team side of things ... but in the grand scheme of things it's been an awesome run."
Moody, who has 57 test caps, has won seven Super Rugby championships since making his debut with the Crusaders in 2013.
"It's been an awesome environment, the people, the whole set-up ... friendships you've made."
"We want to finish the season on a high note - if this is our last game - but when I come out onto the field maybe I will just take that extra moment to have a look around and soak it in," Moody said.
Having toppled the competition leaders the Blues last round Moody and now relying on other results to go their way if they're to make the playoffs "is not a position anyone wants to be in ... but its what we have to deal with"
As to his rugby-playing future beyond Super Rugby, Moody was unsure.
"I still feel like I've got a bit of life in these bones to smack over another season of footy but if that doesn't happen you'll probably catch me on the back blocks somewhere playing with some cattle or sitting on the tractor."
With just three wins from 13 games, Moody felt the Crusaders had suffered through the loss of players to sabbatical and injury.
The problems in "their simplest form, we've just lost a lot of cattle ... key players in key positions that we haven't had, that hasn't helped".
