Joe Tapine is encouraging the Raiders to tie down Jack Wighton at any cost.
The five-eighth won the 2019 Clive Churchill Medal in the best season of his career and won his first call-ups for NSW and the Kangaroos.
Wighton is free to negotiate with other clubs from November 1 and according to his manager Matt Rose, he wants to test the open market.
He had an option in his contract to stay for 2021 but has decided against activating it in favour of a bigger payout.
Tapine has encouraged Wighton to stay with Canberra though.
โHeโs been outstanding for us this year,โ Tapine toldย foxsports.com.au.
โHeโs got all he deserved, playing for his state and his country. Iโd love him to stay, for the team and who he is. Weโre really good mates.
โAt the end of the day itโs up to him and his family and itโs a decision heโll have to make. He leads his kick chase, runs hard, hits hard.
โHeโs really strong, and you get up close and see him with his shirt off - heโs shredded man.
โHeโs probably got the best rig in the Raiders - but he doesnโt have much competition.โ
All of the A.C.T want to keep Wighton because he has transformed from a fullback into one of the best most destructive 5/8s in the NRL
Some poor judges on this site who know little about Rugby League think Cuss is a better player.
Canberra will be paying him 1 million or close to it if they want to retain this excellent player.
I hope he stays in Canberra, would have to see him leave that club after the season they all had this year
Hate to see him leave*
Wighton just wants a pay rise, he just wants to show Canberra that he is worth more money.
The bloke is currently ranked third in the 5/8 Nrl world by being picked for Australia.
But if Canberra let Sezer go then Williams, a specialist 5/8 himself will be playing out of position as half. Now that is a bad move.
Or has Ricky got another plan. Klochstad was replaced in the GF. Is that a hint to the future? Will Ricky move Wighton back to fullback and play his prize import from England at 5/8? Time will tell. All depends if Sezer stays or leaves.
He bleeds green he will stay.
Hopefully Wighton stays put. Defs the best utlity back in the game right now ( I’ve never seen Tom Turbo play in the halves though)
Money will be there to upgrade him with Sezer, Rapana, Leilua all possibly leaving,
Possible Wighton could play centre or fullback next year.
CNK could play wing and Wighton fullback if Rapana goes.
If Leilua leaves Wighton could go to centre and George Willams into 5/8
Or he could play 7 if Sezer leaves which could be interesting. With what Hodgson does in the middle Wighton could handle first receiver.
Who’s Cuss WoodMark? If you’re going to use a players name to have a jibe at someone, at least get the name correct. Did you mean Cust perhaps ? Ha,Ha,Ha..
No need to Cuss at you.. ๐
Did I say they were better players? No.. I said there are a lot of actual 5/8th’s with better skills & more skills in that position, than Wighton. Statement still stands & unless Wighton shows everyone his wonderful short/ long passing & kicking skills? His skills in sighting & exploiting defensive weaknesses. Than you haven’t got anything to show I’m wrong…
So Wighton is a good ball runner & his kicking is a little better than a year ago. A very good centre or fullback. Without all the skills for 5/8th, a great 5/8th he doesn’t make. .
Just ask Brisbane about Milford & trying to create a great half , from a player who’s not a natural in those positions. It just has its limitations. ๐
Well EastOfDivide you keep dribbling rubbish time and time again. Are you related to that TWIT Twentyone. The two biggest fools besides shadow/penso on this site. Anyway this is how you ranked your 5/8โs. Your words not mine……
โQuite frankly, after Keary Iโd rather have Brown from Parramatta as 5/8th. Then Munster. After them & perhaps Walker, the quality of 5/8thโs in first grade drops away. I think you then look to other up & comers like Cust ,Clune , Burton etcโ
Again East of divide you should watch some Nrl and stop watching your hopeless local juniors around Penrith way. Your judgment of nobodies like Clune and Burton ahead of the Australian picked and Clive Churchill medal winner Wighton exposes your ignorance on the subject.
EatOfDivide mate you are way off the mark. You have Munster ranked third behind Brown? Give the head a rest from the playboys son.
Wighton is a top player, surprised you over looked you Penrith hero May. You did not even rate the other Penrith local junior from NZ luuy or what ever his name is
Like I said, keep away from the girls on the internet pal. You might come up with some logic if you do. Go on give it a rest before you go blind. Although I think you might be already blind, if you came up with that list barring Keary and Munster. Get your hand off it buddy.
EastOfDivide is a no all of nothing. The silly person insists 15 game rookie Brown of Parra is a Better 5/8 than Munster. What a toss.
Never going to let you forget about that dumb comment from you EastOfDivide. Ahahahaha Ahahahaha Ahahahaha Ahahahaha Ahahahaha
Just to remind you mate. Brown is not in the Aussie Test team. Munster is. Wighton should be.
Makes no difference which country someone plays for? A good player is good ,no matter which country they can represent .
Many clubs were after Brown. So I guess they agree with my opinion of him. Parramatta thought he was first grade standard, after he just turned 18. Speaks for itself really..
Sure , I could be wrong?
Than again your Cluckers just paid out $300,000 for Sam Walker. He’s 16 !!! So they are taking a big punt on someone’s potential. Guess they think you don’t have to be a top first grader already , to be rated highly . They are taking a chance, based on the skills he’s shown already.
Hey Eastofdivide mate, just admit your wrong, nobody agrees with your insane logic. Except Parra fan eelsalmighty. He liked your Beiwn Dribble.
Munster is an Origin and Australian representive and premiership winning 5/8. Brown is nothing you fool. How can you believe your own stupidity that a 15 game rookie is better. Everybody knows Wighton is the third best 5/8 and Munster and Keary are battling it our as the number 1. All three got picked for Australia but Keary is out now through injury. I think your new nick name should be 21, your comments are just as his, full on dribble about nothing.
Yet you rated Wighton as the second best 5/8th , in front of Munster. So now you’re arguing against yourself. Interesting!!!
I didn’t say everyone agreed with me. I said others did
Only you backed yourself up, under your own various sign ins..
On these sites , it’s all just personal opinion. You just can’t handle anyone else’s opinion or criticism of your own ridiculous statements.
Nothing to say about your own club signing a 16y.o. Walker, for $300,000 ? More than most Canterbury Cup players & many first graders get paid. Totally based on potential & skills shown ,at that age. I guess they don’t see things your way either.
Got any more ‘exats’ ( another one of yours ) . Maybe you were trying to say extracts , of your writing? Who knows in your drug addled state?
So ‘Enj ou y’ your day WoodAdamMarkEdwardClucker…
AdamWombat Wighton confirmed hands down in the GF he is a class above Keary.
8 mins to go, Wighton with ball in hand, ref signals 6 to go with the Claytons Premiers to be on the ropes and the rest is history.
Everyone could sense the robbed Raiders were about to score next set but low and behold what happened next made the Great Train Robbers look like amateurs.