Canberra Weekly
‘Hurt’ Ricky Stuart whacks NRL contracts after Wighton leaves
‘Hurt’ Ricky Stuart whacks NRL contracts after Wighton leaves
Ricky Stuart laments flawed NRL contracting system.
'Hurt' Stuart whacks NRL contracts after Wighton leaves
Ricky Stuart admits he's hurting after star Canberra five-eighth Jack Wighton opted to leave the nation's capital for South Sydney, lashing the NRL's "flawed" contracting system in the process.
The Raiders boss confirmed Wighton had told the club on Tuesday he'd depart at season's end, the Dally M and Clive Churchill medallist opting to link up with distant cousin Latrell Mitchell and chase a premiership with the Rabbitohs.
It leaves a gaping hole in the middle of Canberra's spine with the 225-game Raider a stalwart in his 15-year tenure at the club.'The contracting system is flawed': Stuart breaks silence on Wighton move
Ricky Stuart has lashed a "flawed" NRL contracting system as the Canberra Raiders coach opens up on losing Jack Wighton - the game's hottest free agent - to South Sydney.
The Raiders coach issued an impassioned statement to Canberra fans after Wighton knocked back a $4.4 million offer and instead took a cutprice deal to join the Rabbitohs in pursuit of a premiership.
Wighton also knocked back an offer in the vicinity of $1 million per season from Wayne Bennett's Dolphins to link with the Rabbitohs on a contract worth about $800,000 per year.
