Canberra Raider Jack Wighton opens up on move that could end mate Jarrod Croker's NRL career

The 30-year-old knows every game from here on in could be his last, labelling rumours he could backflip on his decision to join South Sydney "absolute lies".

A loss in the Raiders' elimination final against the red-hot Newcastle Knights at Newcastle on Sunday would end his time in lime green.

The Knights have won nine games in a row and will play in front of a sold-out home crowd in their first final in Newcastle since 2006.

Wighton's late-season switch to left centre meant Croker dropped out of the Green Machine 17, potentially bringing an end to his storied career.

Croker's been named 18^th man to face the Knights, with Wighton again named to play centre.

Wighton said it was his job to play wherever he's selected.

The pair have played together for the past 12 seasons, since Wighton made his NRL debut against the Gold Coast in 2012.

Canberra coach Ricky Stuart showed how much the pair meant to the club - and especially to himself - at the Mal Meninga Medal night on Tuesday.

The emotion of talking about Croker and Wighton's time at the Raiders coming to an end left Stuart unable to finish his speech, with first Wighton and then Croker taking to the stage to do so for their coach.

Croker was full of praise for how Wighton's played in the centres the past fortnight, but Wighton said his co-captain was such a "gentleman" he'd give him a rap even if he was "shit".

"That was a hard one you know [taking Croker's spot]," Wighton said.

"I would've loved to see him finish every game here. It wasn't my decision to go into the centres and I just did what I was told.

"I hated it, but it was out of my hands. I was just doing what I was told."

While Wighton didn't enjoy taking Croker's place, he has enjoyed his shift into the centres - a position he's played for both NSW in State of Origin and Australia in last year's World Cup.

Stuart shifted Wighton there to bring Leeds-bound Matt Frawley in to five-eighth.

Wighton formed a short-lived, left-edge pairing with Sebastian Kris, before Kris's five-week suspension ruled him out for the rest of the season.

It looked like James Schiller's been rewarded for his NSW Cup form by coming onto the left wing to replace Kris.

"It's been good mate. I've been enjoying it. I wish we were getting the two points," Wighton said.

"But I'll play anywhere for the team and that's where they told me to play so I'm doing it."

Earlier in the season, Wighton struggled to decide whether he should re-sign with the Raiders or take up an offer to join the Rabbitohs - and good mate and cousin Latrell Mitchell - next year.

He chose the latter because he wanted to try something new, having spent his entire career with Canberra.

But a couple of weeks ago rumours emerged he was looking into the possibility of getting out of the move to stay with the Raiders.

The rumours came as Souths' season slipped away to eventually miss the finals - despite sitting on top of the ladder after 11 rounds.

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But Wighton emphatically dismissed the talk.

"That's absolute lies mate. There's no backflip. Once I'm in I'm all in," he said.

"It took a long time to make the decision and I'm not a man to pull out of anything for any type of reason.

"I go through with my word. There's so many lies getting around out there. I've been staying away from what's happening there, focusing on here, because no one really knows the truth.

"I'm just really excited to be living this moment in this time right now at the Raiders, so that's what I'll focus on."

NRL ELIMINATION FINAL

Sunday: Canberra Raiders v Newcastle Knights at Newcastle, 4.05pm.

Raiders squad: 1. Jordan Rapana, 2. James Schiller, 3. Jack Wighton, 4. Matt Timoko, 5. Nick Cotric, 6. Matt Frawley, 7. Jamal Fogarty, 8. Ata Mariota, 9. Zac Woolford, 10. Joe Tapine, 11. Hudson Young, 12. Elliott Whitehead (c), 13. Hohepa Puru. Interchange: 14. Tom Starling, 15. Emre Guler, 16. Pasami Saulo, 17. Trey Mooney. Reserves: 18. Jarrod Croker (c), 19. Albert Hopoate, 20. Danny Levi, 21. Ethan Strange, 22. Xavier Savage.

Knights squad: 1. Kalyn Ponga (c), 2. Dominic Young, 3. Dane Gagai, 4. Bradman Best, 5. Greg Marzhew, 6. Tyson Gamble, 7. Jackson Hastings, 8. Jacob Saifiti, 9. Phoenix Crossland, 10. Leo Thompson, 11. Tyson Frizell (c), 12. Lachlan Fitzgibbon, 13. Adam Elliott. Interchange: 14. Kurt Mann, 15. Daniel Saifiti, 16. Jack Hetherington, 17. Mat Croker. Reserves: 18. Adam Clune, 19. Lachlan Miller, 20. Dylan Lucas, 21. Enari Tuala, 22. Brodie Jones.

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