Five Key Stats
Games | 26
Tries | 8
Try Assists | 13
Line Break Assists | 17
Tackle Busts | 94
Best Match of the Season
Round 18 | Raiders 26 defeated Cowboys 12
Wighton scored a double and produced two of the biggest hits of the year in the Raiders 26-12 victory over the Cowboys. Watch both tries and the hit on Granville in the video above.
Summary
Jack Wighton bounced back from a tough start to the season to become a key defensive and attacking weapon for the Raiders.
The Raiders fullback earnt selection in the Indigenous All Stars to start off the year, his third time playing in the annual game.
Low on confidence, Wighton was shaky at fullback in the opening rounds of the season. Despite mounting pressure to make changes to the team, Ricky continued his faith in Wighton.
It was midway through the season when Wighton really started to hit his straps, putting together man of the match performances against the Manly Sea Eagles and North Queensland Cowboys. Wighton was near impenetrable in the last line of defence, highlighted by several bone-crushing tackles that made highlight clips around the country.
In attack Wighton was also starting to hit top form, eventually tallying 13 try assists and 17 line break assists throughout the season.
A huge hit on Joel Edwards in the last round of the season almost jeopardised Wighton's finals series, with the MRC ruling the hit was a shoulder charge. The Raiders fought the charge successfully, with Wighton escaping suspension and able to take part in the finals.
Wighton was selected in the emerging NSW Origin squad earlier in the year, and also represented Country Origin against City Origin.
