It's part of who the laid-back Wighton is.

On the field, evolving into one of the best players in the world. Off it, he's engaged to long-time partner Monisha with their third child on the way.

He's got a freshly minted Dally M Medal to hang up in the pool room. Now he wants a premiership ring to go with it.

The 28-year-old's settled on his block out at Bywong - although it hasn't all been plain sailing. The coronavirus pandemic causing a bit of chaos with the move.

Wighton's a country boy, born and bred. Growing up outside of Orange, but his footy brought him to the big smoke.

While he's firmly planted his roots in Canberra, he jumped at the chance to grab some land out near Lake George.

Some chickens, goats, a donkey and a little pony for his daughters Aaliyah and Ariah to ride around on.

But there were a few scary moments. Just days after he'd signed his life away to the bank, the pandemic struck.

The NRL shut down. And there were question marks over the players' pay and futures.

Not to mention he'd left his old couch at his old place. Not knowing there'd be massive delays in deliveries.

If it wasn't for a mate lending them one, they'd have been sitting on the floor.

But there was a plus side to having some room to move during a pandemic.

"I grew up just outside of Orange. We didn't have much land, but all around me was land - that farm type of life," Wighton said.

"It's always been a dream to get a little bit more land around me and get away from everyone.

"I saw the opportunity come up and spoke to my partner and saw it was a good time.

"It was a little bit scary. I actually settled on a house and three days later we got laid off not knowing what to do.

"To be fair I was shitting myself. I was thinking, 'Far out, I've got to pay for this house now'.

"It was a little bit scary at first, but then everything's come really good.

"And it worked out better - being out there during COVID, no one around me.

"A little bit more freedom there than everybody else had to be fair."

Raiders co-captain Jarrod Croker's been there since the start of Wighton's career.

Croker was in his fourth season of NRL when Wighton first established himself as part of the Green Machine.

He felt Wighton's settled off-field life was a factor in the performances the NSW State of Origin star was producing on the pitch.

"He's a country boy, he loves his animals and his land and that sort of stuff. He's always been like that, Jackie," Croker said.

"He's obviously developed into one of the best players in the world. How he's done that? Only he knows that.

"He's got a fiancee now, two little girls and third little bub on the way. I'm sure that's got a fair bit to do with it.

"It's hard to put Jacko into words. He means a lot to me Jacko. We've had a lot of time together, we've been mates for a long time.

"He's one bloke who you always know has got your back and you'd always have his back.

"I'm just happy to see him going so well over the past few years."

He's had a few months to let the dust settle and take in what it means to be the Dally M Medallist. The best player in the NRL.

For Wighton, it's now done and dusted. The start of the season means a fresh start.

While he loved getting it, it wasn't the accolade he was chasing in 2020. That was the accolade the Raiders have been chasing since their last premiership in 1994.

"That was an awesome experience and awesome to achieve, but I'd give it all back to try and get a ring," Wighton said.

"So that's our next goal as a team to try and get a ring and bring the trophy back to Canberra.

"Leave that one behind us and go again now. New season, new beginnings.

"It doesn't [change anything] mate. You've still got to work very hard, still the same person and nothing changes you.

"It's just a tag or a badge that you've received and it's back to square one again now.

"It's round one and week-in, week-out you've just got to try and rip in again."

Wighton not only caused a stir with his charge to the Dally M Medal - a few Sydney journos got cranky coz they'd lost their dough on Nathan Cleary - but he caused a stir when he was critical of the Raiders' process in producing last year's Indigenous jersey.

He felt there hadn't been enough player involvement. Which to be fair had been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Like everything is these days.

While it no doubt caused a few uncomfortable discussions in the halls of Raiders HQ, it's also seen the playing group fully engaged this time around.

They've met the artists and school kids involved in the jersey's creation. They've heard the stories the artwork invokes.

It now means something to them. That was all Wighton wanted.

"It's been a really good process this year. You'll see it when it does come around," he said.

"We had these young school students, they were the main faces behind it and that. They worked with a couple of artists and people.

"I got to have a chat with them. It wasn't about what I wanted or whatever, what we really wanted was the boys to know what it stands for and what it means.

"We've had people come in and explain the jersey to us and it was pretty special. It was awesome.

"All the boys really loved it and sometimes when you look at the patterns and the designs - to people they're just patterns and designs.

"To have someone come in and explain - you see rivers and meeting places, certain totems for certain people and tribes. It was really good mate.

"We really nailed it this year so we're excited to represent it and it's even better we know when we run out representing it nearly every one of the boys knows exactly what we are representing and what it means."

NRL ROUND ONE

Sunday: Canberra Raiders v Wests Tigers at Canberra Stadium, 4.05pm.

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