After a tumultuous 2018 in which Raiders five-eighth Jack Wighton was suspended from July to the end of the season after being found guilty of assault, the Orange CYMS junior turned it around in 2019, winning the Clive Churchill Medal, making his Origin debut for the Blues and being named in his first Kangaroos squad.
Following this career-best year for the green machine, The Sunday Telegraph has reported that Wighton's manager Matt Rose wants to take Wighton to market after rejecting a player option for 2021 worth $750,000, even though the Raiders were well within their rights to sack Wighton following his indiscretions in February 2018.
A hard running and versatile five-eighth capable of covering any position across the back-line, Wighton will be a hot commodity on the open market and could fetch upwards of $900,000 per year following his stellar performance in the Grand Final.
While WWOS has reported that the Wighton's first preference is to remain in the capital, it would have to be on more long-term and richer deal.
“This isn’t to say he wants to leave the Raiders,” Rose told The Sunday Telegraph.
“But a lot has happened in his career this year and he’s decided against taking up an option in his favour.
“When he signed the original contract, he wasn’t playing for NSW or Australia and he hadn’t won the Clive Churchill Medal on Grand Final day.
“I’m not doing my job as his manager unless we can check the market.”
Wighton will officially hit the open market on November 1st when he will be able to negotiate with rival clubs.
750k is a fair price and the Raiders don’t have much salary left to spend so I doubt they could match some of the offers Jack will get. I guess Sezer and Williams might be the starting halves next year then
So Wighton’s contract is coming up for renewal at the end of next season. If he stays at Canberra he will get less than what he could get elsewhere.
Nothing new as all players either stay for good money where they are or leave for top dollar at a club that struggles to make the top eight. Its called the salary cap.
But one thing is certain right now. There will be no upgrade because he played well in a grand final. Teams don’t cater or budget for mid contract upgrades.
Come to the Tigers
I can’t see Jack Wighton leaving the Raiders. This current speculation is probably a ploy from his manager to get an upgraded contract. He is one of the most valuable players in the team and I believe the Raiders will come to the party.
If he does leave however, I would gladly swap him for Ben Hunt or Corey Norman.
They say Wighton could get more than $750,000 a season? I think that’s very good money for him.
However. Canberra made the Grand Final. They didn’t Win it.
So how much would the two time winning Cluckers players each be asking for. How could that club possibly keep almost all of the team & be under the cap?
Just for starters. Keary must be a million dollar player & so is Tedesco, if Wighton could get over $750,000.
With that logic Nathan Cleary is a $250k a year player.
And Hunt and Milford $150K, Ash Taylor $50K.
Wighton to the roorters to lower their cap by another $1 million
The Value of a player is the value that that player is worth to a team & what any other club would pay for them.
It must surely be based on talent & most of all ,on field performances Back2Front.
So, given that a good player such as Wighton thinks he’s worth more than $750,000 per season. When he couldn’t help his club win the premiership. When he’s good , but not a fantastic 5/8th. How much more are the two players at your Roisters, more influential in winning two Premierships than any others worth? Keary is a triple premiership winner. Tedesco, player of the year, SOO player of the year, rep player & dual premiership winner.
On the open market , both worth a million plus per season easily!
As if they aren’t asking that much at the Roisters .
That’s just two players at the club!
Who’s going to argue that Cleary, Hunt, DCE are worth more than Keary & Tedesco? You? You think they wouldn’t want more money than Cleary? Get off the gear!
Just reading your above post seems like you do not watch many Nrl games EastOfDivide.
In your opinion you are claiming that Wighton is below Cust, Clune and Burton.
Just proves you have been rattled by someone or sonething, to come up with stupidity in its greatest form.
Remember Wighton is a fullback not a centre like you claim and has transformed into a dangerous 5/8 getting better every game. A player does not win the Clive Churchill medal for being a bad 5/8. Wighton has been picked to play for Australia after playing the entire season as a 5/8. Looks like your opinion is way out of order when the Aussie selectors disagree with your assesment of Wighton. Sure Wighton is looked upon as a utility back however it was his 5/8 play all year that won him selection.
All Rooster players less Tetevano and Cronk have signed contracts until the end of 2020. Keray is on 750k not your fabricated million, by the way EOD, Roosters do not upgrade contracts until the current contract expires.