Jack Wighton to join South Sydney Rabbitohs in 2024

[greeneyed]

Jack Wighton set to extend Canberra Raiders contract to end 2024

Raiders marquee player Jack Wighton is edging towards recommitting to the club. The Canberra playmaker has an option in his contract that enables him to roll over his current deal for a further 12 months. He has until round 10 to inform the Raiders hierarchy on whether he intends to become a free agent or take up the option for the season 2024. It’s the latter that Wighton is preparing to green light with he and his advisor Matt Rose expected to discuss the 12 month extension next week.

Read more: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport ... 4e17b31d60

[Ilanraiders]

Good player who come through the junior ranks but we seem to be keeping the same players so expect same results!!

[Billy Walker]

I like Jack and I think he is our best player or at very least in the top few. Are the raiders better with Jack - yes. But the decision isn’t Jack or no Jack, it’s Jack or the alternative player we could sign with the Jack money. That’s a tricky call because who we could sign is all theoretical and it’s often easier to go with what you have and what you know.

I certainly won’t be disappointed if Jack stays on but I do wonder if both parties would be better if he got a swan song contract at the Dolphins and we tried a different approach.

[BadnMean]

Having Jack Wighton in your squad is a good thing.

Figuring out how to best use him is another. Giving him the ball once every 2nd set on the 4th probably isn't it. Looking for Jack every time our forwards punch a hole and getting Jack running on that left vs a retreating defence with Young running off him would be one basic thing to do. Ricky wouldn't even have to drill a play for him!

[Northern Raider]

I like Jack and I think he is our best player or at very least in the top few. Are the raiders better with Jack - yes. But the decision isn’t Jack or no Jack, it’s Jack or the alternative player we could sign with the Jack money. That’s a tricky call because who we could sign is all theoretical and it’s often easier to go with what you have and what you know.

I certainly won’t be disappointed if Jack stays on but I do wonder if both parties would be better if he got a swan song contract at the Dolphins and we tried a different approach.

Who?

[Billy Walker]

I like Jack and I think he is our best player or at very least in the top few. Are the raiders better with Jack - yes. But the decision isn’t Jack or no Jack, it’s Jack or the alternative player we could sign with the Jack money. That’s a tricky call because who we could sign is all theoretical and it’s often easier to go with what you have and what you know.

I certainly won’t be disappointed if Jack stays on but I do wonder if both parties would be better if he got a swan song contract at the Dolphins and we tried a different approach.

Who?

If only you read on past the bold bit NR.

[Botman]

I like Jack and I think he is our best player or at very least in the top few. Are the raiders better with Jack - yes. But the decision isn’t Jack or no Jack, it’s Jack or the alternative player we could sign with the Jack money. That’s a tricky call because who we could sign is all theoretical and it’s often easier to go with what you have and what you know.

I certainly won’t be disappointed if Jack stays on but I do wonder if both parties would be better if he got a swan song contract at the Dolphins and we tried a different approach.

Who?

It’s a fair question and unless you’ve got a really good answer and not one that’s hypothetical, but that is signed, sealed and delivered there really isn’t much to talk about here.

As flawed as he might be, he’s still good enough that you can’t just move on unless you’ve got someone legit to replace him, otherwise you’re substantially downgrading your footy team at a key position

With our issues across the spine, I don’t think there is any appetite to exacerbate that problem

[Billy Walker]

You’d think with the $ we have to chase Fifita and the potential opportunity to reallocate Jack $ that is a lot. Well unless the Fifita $ was spread far and wide on multi year contracts. You’d hope we’d be in a position to offer someone insane $ they can’t refuse

[nachopants]

Every "good 5/8th" you'd consider just renewed to long term deals unfortunately

[-PJ-]

Good news, Jack is our most important player.

[Billy Walker]

Every time there is any discussion about recruitment we seem to quickly throw up our hands and say there is nobody worthwhile available. The Dolphins just started a recruitment exercise from scratch and are currently 3-0. They don’t have the depth to stay at the pointy end but they should debunk this negative view that there are never any players available. We whine about our contracts all ending early when players want out but seem to think there is no potential to pry an unhappy or underpaid player from they club they are in ahead of time.

[Northern Raider]

Every time there is any discussion about recruitment we seem to quickly throw up our hands and say there is nobody worthwhile available. The Dolphins just started a recruitment exercise from scratch and are currently 3-0. They don’t have the depth to stay at the pointy end but they should debunk this negative view that there are never any players available. We whine about our contracts all ending early when players want out but seem to think there is no potential to pry an unhappy or underpaid player from they club they are in ahead of time.

That approach means you allow Jack to leave in hope you find someone better. Personally I'd prefer to keep our only rep quality spine player.

[Roger Kenworthy]

I like Jack and I think he is our best player or at very least in the top few. Are the raiders better with Jack - yes. But the decision isn’t Jack or no Jack, it’s Jack or the alternative player we could sign with the Jack money. That’s a tricky call because who we could sign is all theoretical and it’s often easier to go with what you have and what you know.

I certainly won’t be disappointed if Jack stays on but I do wonder if both parties would be better if he got a swan song contract at the Dolphins and we tried a different approach.

It is actually - it's a player option not a club option.

If it was a club option I'm sure there'd be discussions around letting him walk so we can upgrade and extend Croker and Whitehead.

[The Nickman]

Hahahahaha of COURSE Billy comes waltzing into the thread about re-signing our only rep quantity spine player and starts suggesting we should start moving him on.

You can’t make this **** up.

[Seiffert82]

Yep, it gets a bit silly.

"We need to get rid of good player X and then do what great clubs do and sign a star player with player X's money."

Sounds like a fail proof plan that should be implemented ASAP

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[Botman]

It’s not as if the club is precluded from shopping with that money for 2025 and beyond
clubs are working 12-18 months in advanced on this stuff. And to Rog’s point above, this is entirely his decision not ours, based on reports the 2024 deal is a player option. So if he wants it, he gets it. Nothing the club can do

but it’s just dumb to let go of one of your best players unless you have someone to replace them. Freeing up cap space in hopes of signing a superstar? Please.

As they say - Hope is not a plan. Cap Space doesn’t play a position on the footy field. It’s value is tied directly to what is available and obtainable to spend it on

If you want to move on from Wighton, identify the elite talent, land the plane and we figure out what makes sense for us in 2025. Letting the good players go in hopes of signing better is **** backwards approach

[Finchy]

Yeah we aren’t signing any marquee halves. I mean, the Tigers threw 1.4 mill at Moses and he wouldn’t go there. I think the Dolphins threw crazy big money at Munster and he wouldn’t go there. Canberra certainly aren’t convincing anyone worthwhile to sign with us, even for crazy money. Wasting our time.

Find someone from ESL, a talented second stringer, or a gun junior stuck behind an elite player. They’re our only realistic options. Always will be for this club

[Billy Walker]

Whether it’s a player option or a club option you’d expect a professional club would have an honest conversation with the player about where he sits in future plans to allow informed decisions to be made.

I refer to my first post above - Jack is our best player and I’d be very comfortable if we extended his contract. But there are a lot of “experts” on here that think our fortunes will change if we keep doing the same thing but bring in Woolford or move CHN to lock - they won’t. All the top players in our squad are past their prime years. Sometimes you have to brave if you want results.

[Billy Walker]

Yeah we aren’t signing any marquee halves. I mean, the Tigers threw 1.4 mill at Moses and he wouldn’t go there. I think the Dolphins threw crazy big money at Munster and he wouldn’t go there. Canberra certainly aren’t convincing anyone worthwhile to sign with us, even for crazy money. Wasting our time.

Find someone from ESL, a talented second stringer, or a gun junior stuck behind an elite player. They’re our only realistic options. Always will be for this club

Finchy I hope the expectation and aspiration levels you hold for your footy club aren’t typical of other aspects in your life. You are incredibly defeatist about the raiders yet so comfortable and passionate about the dim reality you accept. You be fantastic subject for a psychology PhD student.

[dubby]

Good news, Jack is our most important player.

And he gets paid

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[The Nickman]

Whether it’s a player option or a club option you’d expect a professional club would have an honest conversation with the player about where he sits in future plans to allow informed decisions to be made.

I refer to my first post above - Jack is our best player and I’d be very comfortable if we extended his contract. But there are a lot of “experts” on here that think our fortunes will change if we keep doing the same thing but bring in Woolford or move CHN to lock - they won’t. All the top players in our squad are past their prime years. Sometimes you have to brave if you want results.

Nobody thinks that, you pathetic weasel. Almost everybody acknowledges there’s plenty on the nose with this club and it largely starts and ends with the coaching.

That doesn’t mean we couldn’t be doing slightly better right now if we at least picked the best of our bad bunch of hookers and actually had a backup number one on the entire roster, but neither of those things will suddenly make us contenders in the face of some very, very bad coaching.

[Finchy]

Yeah we aren’t signing any marquee halves. I mean, the Tigers threw 1.4 mill at Moses and he wouldn’t go there. I think the Dolphins threw crazy big money at Munster and he wouldn’t go there. Canberra certainly aren’t convincing anyone worthwhile to sign with us, even for crazy money. Wasting our time.

Find someone from ESL, a talented second stringer, or a gun junior stuck behind an elite player. They’re our only realistic options. Always will be for this club

Finchy I hope the expectation and aspiration levels you hold for your footy club aren’t typical of other aspects in your life. You are incredibly defeatist about the raiders yet so comfortable and passionate about the dim reality you accept. You be fantastic subject for a psychology PhD student.

It’s not a defeatist attitude or low aspirations, it’s being realistic about who we’ve tried to sign and who we have actually signed over the years, coupled with no premierships in 30 years. Wake up and smell the roses Billy, we suck. It’s just the way it is.

[jimmy82]

Wighton is a 750k-800k centre or lock.
No other club will pay 900k+ as a 5/8.
He could be a 10/10 centre but at best will be a 7/10 five eight.
Yeah he won dally m one year but now it seems like a fluke year. He hasn’t backed it up.

[-PJ-]

Good news, Jack is our most important player.

And he gets paid

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And he can throw as many punches as he wants..

[kona_dream]

Wighton is a 750k-800k centre or lock.
No other club will pay 900k+ as a 5/8.
He could be a 10/10 centre but at best will be a 7/10 five eight.
Yeah he won dally m one year but now it seems like a fluke year. He hasn’t backed it up.

This 100%. Get another ball player and this guy could be the most elite lock in the comp.

[kona_dream]

Wighton is a 750k-800k centre or lock.
No other club will pay 900k+ as a 5/8.
He could be a 10/10 centre but at best will be a 7/10 five eight.
Yeah he won dally m one year but now it seems like a fluke year. He hasn’t backed it up.

This 100%. Get another ball player and this guy could be the most elite lock in the comp.

[jimmy82]

Wighton is a 750k-800k centre or lock.
No other club will pay 900k+ as a 5/8.
He could be a 10/10 centre but at best will be a 7/10 five eight.
Yeah he won dally m one year but now it seems like a fluke year. He hasn’t backed it up.

This 100%. Get another ball player and this guy could be the most elite lock in the comp.

Even something like
6. Fogarty
7. Trindall
13. Wighton

[Love4Noa]

I hope we pay centre money for him.

He isn't a 5/8.

Caveat- I love Jack Wighton. Genuinely love him. It will be a sad and horrible time for Raiders fans when his career comes to a close and we should seriously be grateful for his efforts and just an absolute bit of luck that we've had the guy with the club for so long.

BUT. Jack shouldn't be paid to think. Put him in the centres or back row.
When Jack thinks, things go badly. Get him the ball quickly and make him run first.

Everyone here would love Jack. And if they don't they've got issues. But we love him like the naughty kid that you just shrug your shoulders at and go "oh that's jack for ya". Usually when he kicks it out on the full. Again.

Thanks for sticking around. Will love you to the end of days. But the club needs to look at how to best utilise the kid. And should have 5 years ago.

[Azza]

I hope we pay centre money for him.

He isn't a 5/8.

Caveat- I love Jack Wighton. Genuinely love him. It will be a sad and horrible time for Raiders fans when his career comes to a close and we should seriously be grateful for his efforts and just an absolute bit of luck that we've had the guy with the club for so long.

BUT. Jack shouldn't be paid to think. Put him in the centres or back row.
When Jack thinks, things go badly. Get him the ball quickly and make him run first.

Everyone here would love Jack. And if they don't they've got issues. But we love him like the naughty kid that you just shrug your shoulders at and go "oh that's jack for ya". Usually when he kicks it out on the full. Again.

Thanks for sticking around. Will love you to the end of days. But the club needs to look at how to best utilise the kid. And should have 5 years ago.

That's all well and good, and I agree he's a better centre than 5/8th. But we aren't exactly rolling in riches when it comes to options in the halves.

[rayden83]

Lol the back row ****?

Jack is a fine 5/8, if not an excellet one. He won a Dally M and we made our first GF in 25 years off the back of Jack playing 5/8.

What Jack is not is a game manager, yet that is the role he is being asked to play. The problem isn’t Jack, it’s lack of a competent half back, or Ricky’s lack of confidence in his half back to run the attack. So these responsibilities fall on Jack which he isn’t capable of doing well consistently and thus looks like he struggles in the position. Not his fault.

Should we resign Jack? Its an absolute no brainer. Quality halves are hard to find, and its even harder to find quality halves willing to live in cold gloomy Canberra. Its not like we let go of Jack and then we just head down to Woolworths to purchase our preferred halves combo.

Pay Jack whatever he wants, then focus on signing some quality outside backs or hooker or fullback.

[Ruben Daley]

As has been said above, we don't have the luxury of letting go of a star because we are a 0% chance of nabbing another star to replace him. It's not worth a minute of discussion.

I'd like to see how Jack goes with a strong hooker who can direct play, deceive defences and provide crisp service. My recollection is Jack did pretty well last time that happened. He'll also look a lot better when we have an attacking, dangerous fullback.

Re-signing Jack is a no-brainer. Hopefully, the club is looking very, very hard at using the Fifita money to recruit talented players who are automatic starters, so we can bolster the line-up without needing to lose any existing talent.

[RedRaider]

I think the Raiders have done all the right things to retain him. Jack was originally from the Orange area but came through the lower Raiders grades. I don't agree with those who say we cannot develop quality players. Papa is another. Taps was looking for opportunity and is now in the top group of Props in the game. Our backline is generally made up of those picked on potential and developed. I think there is a wave of players coming through in our Junior Reps sides which are highly talented athletically and more important have footy nouse to deliver on the promise. I am a glass half full type and I hope the powers that be select the best of this group. Unlike other head scratching decisions which have seen future Premiership winners leave the Club too soon.

[Rick]

Jack is our 5/8 until he says he wants to move to lock.

I would be using a chunk of the Fifita money to aggressively target an up and coming halfback or depending on what Trev looks like post injury a decent hooker.

A Trindle / 2022 O’Sullivan type player who is looking for an opportunity.

We apparently brought Fog as a game manager yet Stuart gives that role to Jack. Is that bad coaching or a lack of trust?

I like Schneider but I feel he is more of a 6.


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[Seiffert82]

Good news. Just needs to slow his brain down in some critical moments.

Really looking forward to seeing his combo with Fogs evolve. In the absence of a ball playing lock and a creative dummy half, having halves that play both sides of the field on occasion is clearly the best way for our side to create opportunities.

At worst it puts the opposition edge defence under pressure to open up crash ball plays on the other side of the ruck. Lol.

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[Green Blogger]

For the record this is a contract option - the money is already agreed. There are no savings to be had on this contract regardless of the conversations you have with the player about what position you want him to play.