Jack Wighton is expected to tell the Canberra Raiders bosses that he wants to activate his 12-month extension next week, stretching his current $900,000 contract out to 2024, and begin talks to see out his career in the nation’s capital.
The Raiders five-eighth, 30, has until round 10 of this season (which starts on May 5) to flag if he wants to take advantage of the 2024 clause in his deal. Pulling the trigger would stretch his $900,000-a-year earnings into next year.
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The Sporting Base understands Wighton and advisor Matt Rose intend to activate it.
David Riccio at The Daily Telegraph is reporting the same.
While the Orange-born NRL star would command a mighty price on the open market—he’s the only active player who has won both a Dally M and a Clive Churchill medal—and wouldn’t want for suitors, he’s expected to turn down what could be a million-dollar payday to stick with Canberra as long as he can.
Wighton has already played 223 games for Canberra and sits seventh in all-time appearances. Here’s the list, as of publication:
- 318, Jason Croker (1991–2006)
- 292, Jarrod Croker (2009–)
- 244, Laurie Daley (1987–2000)
- 234, Simon Woolford (1994–2006)
- 228, Steve Walters (1986–1996)
- 224, Ruben Wiki (1993–2004)
- 223, Jack Wighton (2012–)
The 30-year-old has played for the Raiders since his debut in 2012 and famously declared in 2020 that he wants to finish his career as a one-club man as long as Canberra will have him.
Wighton’s desire to stay in the nation’s capital is helped by his close relationship with coach Ricky Stuart, though The Sporting Base doesn’t think Canberra’s five-eighth would change his mind on staying if Sticky was to leave.
The Wests Tigers have informally expressed an interest in signing Wighton for 2024 if he was to skip activating his extension clause, but there’s little to no chance the 30-year-old ten-time Origin representative would be too interested in swapping GIO Stadium for Campbelltown right now, especially not in the middle of their rebuild.
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The Raiders did lose their first two this season but bounced back just last weekend.
They opened their season’s account with a 19-18 loss to the Cowboys then fell to the Dolphins 20-14, both on the road. The team’s return to GIO Stadium saw them overcome the Nicho Hynes-less Sharks. Next they head north to face the Knights (14th) in Newcastle.
Canberra’s playmaker can equal Wiki (224) for games played next round.
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