NSW will be without the services of Jack Wighton for State of Origin after the Canberra star called time on his representative career.
It will also bring the curtain down on his Australia career, and it remains to be seen if he will continue to play in the Indigenous All Stars match at the beginning of the year.
Wighton has endured a topsy-turvy opening to 2023: he was arrested celebrating his 30th birthday in Canberra before the season began, was suspended for two weeks after a late hit on Newcastle’s Jackson Hastings and recently went public with his desire to test his value on the open market before committing to a new deal with the Raiders.
His on-field form has been less than stellar and it would have been unlikely that he would have started in Game 1 of Origin this year given the return to fitness of Latrell Mitchell and Tom Trbojevic, both of whom missed last year’s series.
Wighton has been a mainstay of Blues squads since 2019, playing in the centres, at five eighth and as a bench utility. Though he was dropped for Games 2 and 3 last year, he recovered to make the Kangaroos squad for the World Cup, scoring two tries in five games as Australia won the trophy.
North Queensland star Jason Taumalolo is set to miss as many as six weeks after it was announced that the Tonga international is set for surgery on his knee.
“Jason Taumalolo will have surgery on a knee cartilage injury on Thursday,” read a club statement. “After consultation with club medical staff it was decided the injury had reached the point where surgery was required.”
The lock will miss a month minimum as he rehabs the knee, including tough trips to Cronulla, Parramatta and the Roosters.
He is the latest Cowboys forward to go down injured following Heilum Luki, Griffin Neame, Jordan McLean and Jason Tamou, as well as Luciano Leilua who is missing under the NRL no-fault stand down policy.
Souths star Keoan Koloamatangi has been robbed of the chance of an Origin debut after it was revealed that the edge forward sustained an ankle injury in the Bunnies win over the Dolphins.
He had been widely tipped for his first NSW appearance, but will now face 6-8 weeks on the sidelines, with the longer time possible if the backrower has to have surgery.
NSW are struggling in the edge forward department, with Liam Martin unable to stay fit due to a hamstring issue, Angus Crichton only edging back after taking personal leave now Koloamatangi unavailable.
Haumole Olakau’atu, who played alongside Kolomatangi for Tonga at the World Cup, is now a frontrunner to debut.
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
I would add Alex Johnson or Campbell Graham on the wing any day before Tupou. Last year it was a shocker picking Tupou ahead of the in-form AJ ( who had been breaking all try scoring records).
GB
Roar Rookie
Trust me. Lane will crumble under the pressure. He always does in big impact high intensity games. Do you remember him losing the ball from the opening kick-off against Souths in the finals a few years back? Just like that. . Same with Mitchell Moses with his missed conversion off the posts in the same game which lead to a 40 metre break by Souths down field. . Both players and also Jetome Luai and Joseph Suualii are flat-track bullies who are not up to the pressure and sustained intensity of Origin level.
trick
Roar Rookie
judging by Jacks performance on the weekend ,he has retired from everything..might have other things on his mind.good on his day though,back when.
GB
Roar Rookie
Campbell Graham is the form centre of the competition. Streaks ahead of Rugby bound Suualii. That said, I believe Latrell and a resurgent Turbo are the frontrunners to play in the centres with To'o on one wing and Campbell Graham should play on the right wing. For me it's a no brainer. Tupou has been hit and miss in Origin over the last few seasons anyway. Pity about Keon Koloamatangi for both the Rabbitohs and the Blues. His time will come though.
G money
Roar Rookie
Reminds me of the scene in old school- 'any questions? yeah, from the guy who won't be getting in anyway'
G money
Roar Rookie
Poor Jack is still dining out on form from 2019
Haydaze
Roar Rookie
No way
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
Put him on the same edge as Latrell with Hynes & Tupou, dynamite
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
It's a shame about Koloamatangi, he was in top form, definitely one of the best forwards this season.
Dutski
Roar Guru
I’d vote for that. Always liked the big fella
KenW
Roar Rookie
I meant no disrespect to him. He's a great player and his size and skill combo makes him a unique proposition, I just can't fit him in the team. I think he'd be the 4th choice in the centres (Mitchell, Turbo, Crichton), the 3rd choice 5/8th (Luai, Hynes), and I couldn't have him as a 14 over a dedicated hooker like Api or Cook.
Red Rob
Roar Rookie
“Full strength” is always the qualifier though. He’s very close to being a required player.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
Shaun Lane to play left edge for NSW
KenW
Roar Rookie
Probably a good call for Wighton. He's long-odds to make a full-strength Blues team again but would probably be in the squad as cover. Now he can focus on that big final contract he's looking for and not worry about it. Kolomatangi is a bit of a blow for the Blues though. He would have been a big chance I think.
Ben Pobjie
Expert
As a NSW fan I was fervently hoping Wighton’s services would not be called on anyway.