Canberra Raiders star Jack Wighton has retired from representative football, ruling himself out of Origin contention in a massive blow to the NSW Blues.
The 30-year-old has played 10 games for the Blues across the halves, centres, and off the bench, making him an invaluable member of the NSW side.
He has also picked up five caps for the Kangaroos, partnering good friend Latrell Mitchell in the centres as Australia claimed victory at the World Cup last year.
Wighton played the first of last year’s Origin clashes in the centres – his 10th-straight game for the Blues – before being ruled out of the second game after contracting Covid-19. He was snubbed for the decider, named 18th man with Stephen Crichton and Matt Burton picked above him.
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There had been significant chatter that Wighton was considering pulling the pin on representative football in recent weeks, something Blues selector and Adviser Greg Alexander called ‘a shame’ on Sunday night.
“I had heard he was considering being done with representative football, which would be a shame, it really would,” Alexander said on the Fox League coverage.
“Jack has been a big part of the side over the last five seasons … he’s had some great games for NSW … He is an Origin player. He’s tough.
“Hopefully me or Freddy (Blues coach Brad Fittler) can get on the phone and, if he is considering it, turn him around, because we might need him this year.”
But his decision was confirmed on Monday morning, just six weeks before the Origin opener on May 31.
“Jack spoke to Freddy and has told him of his disappointing decision to retire from representative football,” NSW selector and assistant Greg Alexander told the Sydney Morning Herald.
“He has said that he wants to focus on family and club footy. It’s a blow for us. He has been an important part of our squad for the last five years and would have been in the mix again. We’ve loved having Jack in camp and in the team.
“He’s an Origin player. He’s been a great player not only for NSW, but for Australia and the Indigenous All Stars. It’s disappointing he won’t be able to be part of this series.”
If fit, Tom Trbojevic and Latrell Mitchell appear the likely NSW centre pairing, with Wighton set to have come off the pine. Stephen Crichton could also reprise his role in the centres.
The 30-year-old’s future is up in the air after he opted not to take up a contract option to remain at the Raiders next year. Canberra have tabled a monster $1.1 million per year deal to try keep their star five-eighth for another four seasons, but there’s plenty of interest from rival clubs including the Dolphins.
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