'Reasonability' says Canberra Raider Jack Wighton's contract should be centre of attention

There's no suggestion the Rabbitohs have done anything wrong. Given how high profile Wighton's impending move there has been they'd have been mad to have even considered it.

But the contract should come under scrutiny from the NRL salary cap auditors under their own "reasonability" test, which looks at the value of similar players based on things like their position and representative experience.

It's how they'll justify the Rabbits paying Wighton $1 million less than the Raiders over the course of the four-year deal - because he's going to Souths as a centre, not as a five-eighth where he'd play at Canberra. Hence it's reasonable for his value to only be $3.4 million for four years, rather than the $4.4 million the Raiders offered.

I wasn't aware contracts specified a player's position. But since they now clearly do, does that mean Wighton will be prevented from playing anywhere except centre when he pulls on the cardinal and myrtle?

If Cody Walker ever gets injured or called up for State of Origin again then does that mean Wighton won't be shifting across from left centre to five-eighth? And if Walker leaves Souths at the end of 2025 when his current contract runs out, then Wighton won't be a halves option then either?

Because if Wighton does play five-eighth then reasonability would clearly mean his value should be decided on that rather than as a centre.

It's what makes Wighton so valuable to the Rabbitohs - the versatility that means he can play almost anywhere in the backline. And if you dare venture anywhere near social media, he should now be playing lock as well.

He's not just a centre and any reasonability test worth it's weight in ink would reflect that. But it won't.

And so nothing changes. The so-called glamour clubs will continue to recruit at the expense of the less shiny ones.

Wighton's departure marks the beginning of a changing of the Raiders' guard from their team that made it to the 2019 grand final. Although you could make a case that began when Josh Hodgson left to join Parramatta at the end of last year.

Canberra co-captain Jarrod Croker's coming to the end of his NRL career - but hopefully not before he makes it to that elusive 300 games though, with just six to go.

Croker's off-contract at the end of this season, given he hasn't played enough games across this year and last to enact his option for 2024. He only played one game last year and there's not enough games remaining this season for him to get to the mark required.

That means he'll need a new contract if he's to go into a 16^th NRL season. The way he's started his return from injury, who knows, maybe there's a chance for him to go around again in lime green?

The Raiders have looked far better defensively on their edges since his return, with the players themselves crediting Croker's calm head for their improvement.

Jordan Rapana, Josh Papali'i and co-captain Elliott Whitehead are all coming to the back end of their careers as well.

Rapana's 33, and off-contract, while Whitehead's the same age, but with an extra year to run on his deal.

Papali'i's still only 30, but he's said his current contract could be his last - he has an option for the 2025 campaign - and he's expressed an interest in playing for an at-this-stage mythical Pasifika expansion team down the track.

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart promised his young up-and-comers he wouldn't recruit over the top of them to allow them to come through the ranks.

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Over the next few years it will be up to the likes of Matt Timoko, Sebastian Kris, Hudson Young, Corey Horsburgh and Xavier Savage to take over the heavy lifting.

And yes, given there's currently not too many options available for next year, Wighton's departure opens the door for Brad Schneider to make his mark as well.

NRL ROUND NINE

Saturday: Canberra Raiders v Dolphins at Wagga Wagga, 3pm.

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