Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has spoken on Jack Wighton’s future move to the Rabbitohs, saying he “understands the decision” but was initially “really pissed off”.
Wighton ended weeks of speculation on Tuesday, when it was announced he would join Souths on a four-year deal from the 2024 season, turning down much richer offers from both the Raiders and the Dolphins.
Stuart said he was “really pissed off” that Wighton decided to move on stating that if he wasn’t, he wouldn’t “care about the club or Jack and I care about both of those.”
“Jack and I have been communicating and the five or six different excuses I keep hearing out there are complete crap,” Stuart said on Fox League before the Raiders clash with the Dolphins in Wagga.
“Jack wanted a change and I get that, the timing of it is wrong and I said earlier in the week, the system is flawed.
“Jack shouldn’t be put under this pressure in regards to having to make a decision now, there should be a window where everybody has the opportunity to make the decision to leave or stay at his club.
“It’s unfair on the fans, and I am all for the fans too because they are one of our biggest stakeholders.
“But Jack and I have had regular communication and I felt for Jack having to make the decision, I understand the decision, I’m comfortable for Jack making that decision to leave it was just unfortunate with the timing.”
Under the current contracting system, players are free to negotiate with rival clubs in the final 12 months of their contract, with the deadline to sign sitting on November 1.
Despite the publicity surrounding the speculation and Wighton’s subsequent sighting, the Raiders coach said he was pleased with the way his side has handled it all.
“Credit to Jack and credit to the players it hasn’t disrupted out week, if we play well today it ain’t because of Jack Wighton and his decision,” Stuart said.
“It is a disruption but credit to the players, they have just got on with the job.”
Earlier in the week, Bulldogs general manager of football Phil Gould suggested a radical change to the NRL’s transfer system in the wake of Wighton’s defection.
In an attempt to distribute talent evenly across the league, Gould believes the NRL need to introduce trade windows and a draft, much like you see in American sports.
“The Raiders are entitled to ask why, and the NRL is entitled, just for transparency to the fans, to say if a marquee player comes off contract at the Raiders, why is it they always end up at the Rabbitohs or the Roosters?” Gould said on the Six Tackles with Gus podcast.
“There are probably 10 to 12 other clubs out there who would love to have Jack Wighton, would love the opportunity to free up a million dollars in their salary cap and help them get out of the cellar.
“This comes back to what I’m going to say — draft, trade windows.”
