Raiders fight for Wighton
Can Canberra keep Jack
Canberra chief executive Don Furner has declared the Raiders are “up for the fight” over Jack Wighton and is confident the Green Machine will stave off Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins to retain the NSW Origin ace.
The Dolphins have rampedup their poaching attempt, with Bennett having held talks with Wighton’s management in a bid to land Australia’s World Cup winner as the Dolphins’ franchise recruit for 2024 and beyond.
While up to 10 clubs expressed interest in Wighton at one stage, the Dolphins are viewed as the major threat to Canberra’s hopes of retaining the former Dally M Medallist.
The Raiders have tabled a four-year, $4.4 million package to Wighton and held fresh talks with the match-winning utility on Monday — a meeting that bolstered Canberra’s belief they will trump the Dolphins and retain their man.
Furner says the Green Machine won’t stall in the tugof-war for Wighton in their plan to make the 225-game veteran a triple centurion in the nation’s capital.
“We’re doing everything possible, we’re up for the fight to keep Jack,” Furner said.
“We would love to see Jack Wighton reach 300 games and play out his whole career here.
“We have Jarrod Croker (294 games) who isn’t far away from that milestone and I would love to think that Jack, Jarrod and Josh Papalii (268) can rack up 300 games each for the Raiders.
“Not many clubs can say they have three players all pushing for 300 games at the same time, they have all come through together.
“Our new deal to Jack will help him get to 300 games.
“I know he has been linked with the Dolphins but we think Canberra is the best place for him, but he has a lot to weigh up.
“With the bye this weekend, hopefully that can give him time to have a good think about staying here.
“We are truly hoping he will make a call very soon, the bye is as good a time as any to make a decision without disruptions.
“I would like to think Jack will stay.”
Wighton dropped another bombshell by announcing he will retire from representative football, ruling him out of this year’s State of Origin series for NSW, but Furner insists that there was no pressure from the Raiders.
Wighton’s decision to walk away from the Blues and Australia could help him prolong his career at NRL level.
“I am very surprised he has stood down because I felt he had a lot to offer at representative level,” Furner said.
“Jack standing down from rep football would certainly make it easier for him to play another four years of NRL.
“But that (Wighton retiring) wasn’t discussed with us.
“We never said, ‘We will give you four years if you drop Origin’.
“That was never a demand from us, Jack has come to the decision himself, it was purely up to him.”