The Jack Wighton contract saga is set to ignite debate about salary transparency, with the Canberra Raiders star facing a choice between perceived premiership success and becoming a million-dollar player.
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South Sydney chief executive Blake Solly confirmed the Rabbitohs' interest in luring Wighton to the historic club.
The Raiders tabled their $4.4 million, four-year Wighton offer with the NRL to ensure there was transparency around the situation so they couldn't be low-balled by other offers.
It's a case of once-bitten, twice-shy for the Green Machine, with coach Ricky Stuart previously saying they didn't want to lose Wighton the same way they lost Anthony Milford.
It's believed Milford left for the Brisbane Broncos for less money than Canberra offered.
But, if reports out of Sydney are true, it's starting to look like Stuart's worst fears could be coming true.
There would be obvious differences between Milford and if Wighton was to leave, given the former left after just 42 games for the Raiders, while Wighton's played his entire 225-game career in the capital.
Initially, it was thought to be a two-horse race with the Redcliffe Dolphins, but Souths have reportedly come in with a $3.4 million offer - a massive $1 million below both the Green Machine's offer.
The Canberra Times contacted the NRL about whether their salary cap auditors had a process in place for when there was such a big discrepancy in offers, but they declined to comment.
There's long been calls for the NRL to make players' salaries public to ensure there was transparency around the salary cap, but they've been resisted until now.
While Solly confirmed they'd spoken to Wighton's management about the possibility of bringing the Canberra star to Souths, he said they were yet to talk figures.
The Rabbitohs don't have the salary cap space to offer the 30-year-old the same money as the Raiders, given they've got Latrell Mitchell, Cody Walker, Damien Cook and Cameron Murray on their books.
It meant Wighton could face a choice between the perception of being better placed to win a premiership - and playing with great mate Mitchell - or earning significantly more money.
Not to mention keeping his country lifestyle on the outskirts of Canberra with his young family.
While many suggested Souths were better placed to win a premiership, they've only won one in the past 50 years and have only made two grand finals during that time.
The Raiders have won three and played in six over the same period.
"We've registered an interest, we haven't talked figures or terms and that's it," Solly said.
Despite Souths' late play, with Wighton expected to have a decision within the next fortnight, Raiders great Laurie Daley still felt the Orange product would stay in Canberra.
He was unsure whether the Rabbitohs' offer would be big enough to lure the Dally M Medallist to Sydney.
Daley also pointed to Wighton's relationship with Stuart as a reason to stay in lime green.
"I don't think the Raiders will be blown out of the water financially," he said.
MORE RAIDERS NEWS
"I'm still pretty confident that Jack will stay with the Raiders. I know there's plenty of interest, and why wouldn't there be - a player of his quality doesn't come on the market too often.
"South Sydney will make a play for him ... whether that offer's going to be good enough to attract Jack to South Sydney or not [I don't know].
"You can point to the relationships with Latrell and Cody, but you can also point to the relationship that Ricky Stuart's got with Jack Wighton and the club."
Daley felt if Wighton was to leave then he clearly thought the Raiders' premiership window had closed.
The Green Machine made the grand final in 2019 and then backed it up with the preliminary final the following year.
They missed out on the finals in 2021, before making it to the second week last season.
"The Bunnies with Latrell and Cody and the forward pack they've assembled is really good, but what does that say about the Raiders, then?" Daley said.
"Is he thinking the Raiders premiership window is over?"
NRL ROUND NINE
April 29: Canberra Raiders v Redcliffe Dolphins at Wagga Wagga, 3pm.
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