Jack Wighton future confirmed with World Cup winner to join new club

World Cup winner Jack Wighton will leave Canberra Raiders at the season’s end to take up a four-year deal with fellow NRL club South Sydney Rabbitohs.

The 30-year-old will play for a different club for the first time in his professional career next season, having scored 71 tries in 225 appearances for the Raiders since making his NRL debut in 2012.

Wighton has enjoyed a decorated career on the representative scene, too, which he has only recently retired from. He was won seven caps for Australia, helping the Kangaroos win the World Cup last autumn.

Wighton, a proud Wiradjuri man, has represented his Indigenous heritage six times for the Indigenous All Stars. He has also made 10 appearances for New South Wales in the State of Origin arena.

Rabbitohs boss delighted to secure services of Jack Wighton

Mark Ellison, head of football at the Rabbitohs, said: “Jack Wighton is one of the elite players in our competition and it is wonderful to be able to add him to our squad for the following four seasons.

“He has shown both at the Raiders and in representative teams that he can excel at any level. In our discussions with him over the past few weeks, and in his performances on the field over the past decade, he has shown that he will add great value to our team on the park and to our club off the field.

“He is attracted to the great Indigenous heritage of our club, to the respect and recognition we have for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and causes; and the fantastic work of Souths Cares in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia.

“He spoke to us about the family feel at the club and the obvious brotherhood amongst the playing group. Here he will be able to play alongside some of his great mates as well as representative and former club teammates in Latrell Mitchell, Cody Walker, Cameron Murray, Damien Cook, Campbell Graham, Alex Johnston, Isaiah Tass, Shaquai Mitchell and Siliva Havili.

“He was also very impressed by the facilities at our new training base at the USANA Rabbitohs Centre in Maroubra. He feels as though he can help us achieve our collective goal of more premiership success for this Club.

“We feel like he can play his best football with us over the next four seasons”

“And we know he will help us win football games on the field; but he will also help enrich the lives of those in the Rabbitohs and Souths Cares’ communities as well.

“We wish Jack the best of luck for the rest of the season in Canberra. We look forward to him joining the Rabbitohs family later this year ahead of the 2024 season and beyond.”

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