Jack Wighton has told the Canberra Raiders he will be leaving the club at the end of the season to link up with South Sydney in 2024.
As first reported by the Herald last week, Wighton will join the Bunnies on a deal for up to four years.
Jack Wighton is headed to South Sydney.Credit: Getty
Wighton informed coach Ricky Stuart and his teammates on Tuesday afternoon. Wighton is yet to officially put pen to paper with the Rabbitohs but his expected signature is a huge boost for a club that has been on the brink of a premiership for the past five years.
The news of Wighton’s expected arrival at the Rabbitohs next year is a massive coup for coach Jason Demetriou, who has indicated he will use the former NSW and Australian representative in the centres when he joins the club in 2024.
The deal, like all contracts in the game, will have to be approved by the NRL. There could be a stumbling block in regards to Wighton’s market value.
The NRL will not approve contracts they deem to be below market value. The Raiders offered Wighton around $1.1m per season, however he is expected to forego around $300,000 per year to link with the Bunnies on a deal worth around $800,000.
The NRL has not received a contract for Wighton and won’t be drawn into commenting until it is official.
When Sonny Bill Williams returned to the NRL in 2020, they set his value at $400,000 and forced the Roosters to include him in the salary cap at the pro-rata value.
More to come
