Jack Wighton has left the door ajar for a return to representative football, but the South Sydney recruit won’t attend this weekend’s Blues camp.
There was curiosity about whether Wighton, who announced his retirement from representative football last season, would be among the 40 potential or likely NSW players who were expected to camp at NSWRL headquarters in Homebush Bay over the weekend.The new Blues coach, Michael Maguire, is eager to get the former Canberra playmaker back into the fold, as this masthead first reported.
Wighton has expressed to those close to him his desire to increase the number of games he has played in the sky-blue jersey while simultaneously demonstrating his dedication to the Rabbitohs, his new team. Although Souths are unlikely to obstruct him from representing his state, when he signed with the foundation club, it was agreed that he would be available to them during
The club will likely be one of the most affected during Origin, with Cameron Murray, Cody Walker, Damien Cook, Latrell Mitchell, Campbell Graham, Keaon Koloamatangi, Tevita Tatola and Jai Arrow under consideration for state duty.
While Wighton hasn’t made a definitive backflip on his representative retirement, it is likely he could still make a Blues return after a 12-month sabbatical.
After a long stint as Canberra’s five-eighth, Wighton is expected to slot into the Rabbitohs’ star-studded backline at left centre. It’s a position he has previously filled at representative level and Maguire is also likely to consider him as super-sub off the bench if he makes himself available.
Maguire, a former Canberra assistant coach, has a strong relationship with Wighton from their time together in the nation’s capital.
Following his appointment in the latter part of last year, Maguire told this masthead, “When you’ve got a clean sheet you’re definitely going to chat to everyone that might be available to you.”
“I adore Jack a lot. I spent a good amount of time with him in Canberra. Everyone is aware that he is a big-game player.
“For him, the most important thing is figuring out how to fit into Souths so he can play his best football.”
Along with roughly a dozen other players who are in the running for selection, every player on the Blues who participated in the series from the previous year will be invited to camp.
Joseph Suaalii is a notable attendee who received an invitation even though he decided to defect to rugby union on a $5 million deal at the
