Jack Wighton targeted by racist trolls after speaking for the first time since contract shock and Canberra Raiders exit

In his first interview since he shocked the rugby league world, Wighton said he had been inundated with messages - mostly supportive - from friends, fans and teammates after he told the Raiders he was leaving the club at the end of the year.

But he has also been subjected to vile, racist abuse on social media after deciding to quit the Raiders.

Wighton called out the racist taunts on Wednesday night, with one user telling him to "f--- off now you weak gutted dog" and then followed it with a racial slur.

"Stooping low," Wighton said on Instagram with an image of the abusive message. "For what reason little coward."

His Raiders teammates - including Jamal Fogarty, Jordan Rapana, Josh Papalii and Jarrod Croker - leapt to Wighton's defence and called out the derogatory remarks.

"Name and shame," Rapana said.

Fogarty added: "We need strong consequences/actions for this disgraceful behaviour and show the country we don't accept racism. Support your players #saynotoracism."

Wighton's future Rabbitohs teammate Cody Walker described the comments as "rubbish behaviour".

Wighton has been thrust into the biggest story of the NRL season so far after turning down a Canberra contract extension and deciding to take offers on the open market.

The Raiders came to the table with a four-year, $4.4 million contract that would have made Wighton the highest-paid player in the club's history. But instead of extending his Canberra career, Wighton will sacrifice $1 million to sign with South Sydney on a bargain deal that has raised eyebrows about the salary cap.

Speaking to The Canberra Times before the Rabbitohs confirmed his signing on Wednesday night, Wighton didn't want to be drawn on his reasons for leaving or why he picked Souths. But he did want to clear the air with Raiders fans and thank them for understanding his decisions through the process.

The 30-year-old also said breaking the news to chief executive Don Furner was the hardest call to make, that he wanted to return to the club in the future with his head held high and he vowed to do everything in his power to help the Raiders chase a drought-breaking premiership in the last of his 14 seasons in Canberra.

"It's been a big 24 hours and there's obviously been a lot of mixed emotions," Wighton told The Canberra Times.

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"I've been here a long time and I've got so much love for the Raiders. I've got so many fond memories, it's definitely a hard one.

"The club has been such a big part of my life and my journey, both at the Raiders and the Canberra city.

"I started coming in [from Orange] when I was 15, travelling into Canberra twice a week. So it's been a hell of a journey.

"I have to say a huge thanks to the Raiders fans. I've learnt a lot by living here, I've made a lot of brothers for life ... we had the whole city thriving at times.

"Through the highs and lows, the supporters stuck strong and that's what I'll always cherish. Because without them, there is no us, so I want to send my love to all of them. I've got mates for life out of all of this and moments I'll cherish.

"There's been a lot of days where I found myself pondering [about the decision]. I've come to a decision and it wasn't an easy one, it wasn't easy for anyone. I had a lot of great times here."

Wighton has played 225 games for the Raiders since his debut in 2012. The Green Machine had hoped to make him a one-club player with more than 300 games to his name, and they offered him the richest deal in Raiders history to entice him to stay.

Instead, he's taking $1 million less to join Souths, with the Rabbitohs officially announcing a four-year deal on Wednesday night. Head of football Mark Ellison said: "Jack is one of the elite players in our competition ... he has shown he will add great value.

"He spoke to us about the family feel at the club and the obvious brotherhood amongst the playing group.

" ... He feels as though he can help us achieve our collective goal of more premiership success. We feel like he can play his best football with us."

Wighton has been Canberra's pin-up boy for the past six years, despite being embroiled in off-field controversy at times and copping a 10-game suspension for an incident in Civic in 2018.

But on the field he blossomed as a player, establishing himself as a State of Origin star and leading the Raiders to their first grand final in 25 years.

He won the Clive Churchill Medal despite losing the 2019 grand final and then won the Dally M Medal - the biggest individual prize in the game - in 2020.

He is confident he can push aside all the drama about his contract decision and the circus that has followed, starting with a clash against the Dolphins in Wagga on Saturday.

"Without a doubt, even if I wasn't leaving, my job is to empty the tank every week and bash this body for the club and the fans," Wighton said.

"And to turn on the best show I possibly can. This whole contract process is the end of a 14-year stint here for me.

"There have been so many shit stories that I can't control, but until the final bell rings I'll keep running out for everybody and giving my absolute all for this club.

"I want to leave this club so that one day I can walk back in with a smile on my face and greeted like I never left. Down the track, not just one, two or three years. I'm thinking 10 years down the track I want to be able to walk back into the club and not have one person question that I did my all every time I pulled the jersey on.

"To the fans, they need to know they're going to get that for this year and I don't have to tell the other boys at the club - they know how I roll. They know what they're going to get."

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart and Wighton share a tight bond, but the star playmaker said telling chief executive Furner was the hardest conversation.

"Don was here from day dot when I arrived with his brother Dave. Their family name is so huge in the game and I've always had so much respect for Don for what he's done for the club and is still doing," Wighton said.

"Don was a day-one guy for. Then there were guys like [former chairman] John McIntyre. I've got a lot of respect for 'JR' as well ... people who have backed me through thick and thin over the years.

"They're the people you think of the most, 'JR' is a true gentleman.

"People like that made it super hard, and it's a bit of the end of an era for some old boys like myself, Jarrod Croker, Josh Papalii, Jordan Rapana, the list goes on. It was hard telling all of them, but they were supportive. They've seen it from a good angle."

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