Joey reveals overlooked factor in Wighton saga

“I can imagine Jack’s not motivated by money – he isn’t a Flash Harry, he doesn’t drive around in fancy cars, he’s a boy from Orange.

“The big thing he wants to tick off is winning a premiership, and I can understand that because you hear players who went through their whole career, superstars [who] don’t win premierships, you can hear the hurt in their voice.

“Steve Rogers, Andrew Ettingshausen, Nathan Hindmarsh, Nathan Cayless … people take the mickey out of Hindy, but you can see it hurts.”

Reports vary slightly but it seems likely Wighton was offered at least $4 million plus a car deal over four years to stay at the Raiders, and $4 million to join Wayne Bennett at the Dolphins.

Darren Lockyer said the human side of Wighton’s deal, plus the reality the Dolphins are likely several years away at least from winning a premiership, made the Redcliffe sell all the more difficult.

“Getting New South Wales players to come and play at the Dolphins is not easy,” Lockyer said on Wide World of Sports’ QLDER.

“Jack’s chosen to live in Sydney … the living expenses are high there but it’s a nice city to live in. For Redcliffe, the challenge there is getting people to make that move from a city like Sydney.

“Jack has obviously got a good relationship there with Latrell Mitchell – he’s chosen to go there. 

“He’s been quite open about it, he’s taking a pay cut to try and win a premiership because that’s the one thing that he hasn’t done in the game. 

“So with all due respect to the Dolphins – they’re batting above their average right now – but getting to a premiership, maybe Jack doesn’t see that anytime soon.”

Wighton finds new NRL home

While Wighton may have chosen to pay a significant cash price for a chance at glory, that doesn’t pass the pub test for Ricky Stuart, with the Raiders coach furious with the NRL’s player transfer system and demanding that the deal be carefully scrutinised by head office.

Bunnies coach Jason Demetriou said criticism of the deal was “ridiculous”, and players taking “unders” to play for particular clubs was nothing new.

According to a column by The Sydney Morning Herald’s Andrew Webster, Stuart has been left deeply wounded by Wighton’s decision to leave, particularly after details of the negotiations were leaked to the media after the star had seemingly been convinced to stay loyal.

Webster reports Wighton is also weary of the relentless approach of assistant Michael Maguire, who took the Rabbitohs to the 2014 premiership.

It’s a common accusation that’s followed Maguire throughout his career. In 2020, cameras in the dressing rooms captured him giving his Tigers playing group an almighty half-time spray against the Warriors, before kicking a chair across the room.

Souths coach slams ‘circus’ around Wighton deal

He was sacked by the Tigers last June, and joined the Raiders for 2023.

That dynamic, as well as the fact the Raiders probably aren’t a premiership-winning side, means leaving might not have been a difficult decision.

“From a team point of view, [winning a premiership] is the ultimate – it’s why you play footy,” Johns said.

“It’s why you make so many sacrifices and why you train so hard from October through to the next September.

“They’re your best memories when you think about club footy. You think about winning big games and about winning premierships.”

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