Jack Wighton will be out of action for the next two weeks serving a ban for a dangerous throw, but NSW coach Brad Fittler believes there's still time for the Raider to prove he's worth selecting in the Blues camp in addition to a surprising name.
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Wighton will miss games against the Bulldogs on Friday and Cronulla Sharks next week as Canberra fights to salvage its NRL season.
The five-eighth took an early plea after being charged with a grade-two dangerous throw on Warriors fullback Reece Walsh in a golden point loss on Saturday, opting not to risk the prospect of a three-match ban had he fought the charge and lost.
Time is still on Wighton's side with two games after he serves his suspension to earn a Blues call-up. However, he won't be the only player putting their hand up.
"He'd rather be playing but it gives other people an opportunity," Fittler told The Canberra Times while in the capital for the last stop of the Blues' youth leadership tour.
"Jack's been part of our Blues group because he's a wholehearted player. He's versatile, a good team member and has really big belief about him.
"There's lots [of competition], lots of versatile players at the moment, but there's still four weeks until we pick the team. We don't make decisions just yet, we just wait and be patient."
The 29-year-old is hoping to hang onto the NSW No.14 jersey and is considered an outside chance to play at left centre with Fittler confirming Latrell Mitchell was "pretty much out of consideration" for the Origin series opener on June 8 due to injury. Fittler said despite Canberra's struggles in sitting third-last on the ladder and losing five-straight games, Wighton had been performing admirably.
"He's had some big changes around him at halfback and hooker and they haven't really adapted, but a lot of the time I don't think it's lack of effort, especially from Jack," the coach said.
"I saw the [Walsh] tackle and I saw Jack moved his hand. What happened on Friday night [with Manly's Karl Lawton sent off for a dangerous throw] it's one of those moments where the game isn't going to look away, so maybe some bad timing."
When asked if any other Raiders were in the Blues' selection frame, Fittler stunningly named Nick Cotric as a player that had impressed him.
"I love watching Nick play. I think his form has been good," Fittler said. "He's getting back to what he knows he's good at. He runs a lot, he's hard to tackle and makes tackle breaks, and he's doing a lot of it out of his own end.
"I've known him since he was 16, coached him when he was a kid. I know him well and what he's capable of."
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