The Raiders have offered Jack Wighton a four-year deal worth $4.4 million just days after the star No. 6 shocked the club by announcing he was headed to the open market.
Wighton guided Canberra to the 2019 grand final, won the 2020 Dally M Medal, has played in two Origin series wins for the Blues and last November lifted the World Cup for Australia.
The 30-year-old has only played for the Green Machine since making his NRL debut at the club in 2012, but is reportedly chasing a sea change.
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Wighton has to decide by Round 10 whether to trigger an option in his favour for 2024. Canberra’s offer would keep Wighton at the club until 2027.
“I’d struggle to see any other club offering Jack Wighton $4.4 million over four years,” Paul Crawley said on NRL 360.
“It will be hard money to turn down.”
The Eels, Bulldogs, Warriors and Dolphins are all interested in signing Wighton – with the latter ready to pay over $1 million.
“You get paid a day’s wage for a day’s work. He doesn’t owe anybody, Canberra don’t owe him,” Paul Kent said.
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The Dolphins have Anthony Milford (2024), Kodi Nikorima (2024), Isaiya Katoa (2025) and Sean O’Sullivan (2025) all on-contract.
Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett has gone on the record saying he’s open to breaking the bank for Wighton.
“If we thought he was the right fit for the club and brought the things that we need then we would probably pay more than $1 million,” Bennett said last week.
Former NRL player Alex McKinnon, who played under Bennet at Newcastle, said last week that he thinks Wighton will play No. 6 at the Dolphins and Katoa No. 7.
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Canberra are reportedly preparing for a major roster clean-out, but coach Ricky Stuart isn’t letting his best player go without a fight.
“Jack knows I want him here,’’ Raiders coach Ricky Stuart said last week.
“We look after Jack and his family very well here, so I am at ease with it because I know we do everything we possibly can for Jack and his family.
“We got Jack as a 14 or 15-year-old player here and the club has done a wonderful job for Jack and stood by him in all sorts of different circumstances.
“We have stuck right beside him and supported him and I think it is a great example for a lot of other young players out there what we can do for young players that come to this club.’’
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