New Rabbitohs recruit Jack Wighton hasn’t shot down speculation he was considering a return to the representative arena for the Blues this season.
Last month, Wighton sat down with foxsports.com.au for his first interview as a Rabbitoh and said “we’ll have to see” when asked if a Blues return was on the horizon in 2024.
Wighton was as noncommittal when speaking to Channel 9 this week, but gave the impression new NSW coach Michael Maguire could be the reason the former Raider puts his hand up for Origin after skipping rep duties last season.
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There’s an existing relationship there, with Maguire previously an assistant coach at the Raiders before taking the Blues gig.
“(I want to) get my foot in the door with Souths and put my best foot forward there,” Wighton said.
“We’ll see where the wind blows me after that.”
“He (Maguire) lives around the corner, he’s got a young family. Apart from Latrell and a few others, we don’t have many people here. I went up and had a bit of dinner and took the kids over to have a swim.”
Maguire has made no secret of the fact he wants Wighton to unretire from rep football and make himself available for Blues selection.
Maguire is attempting to turn around the fortunes of the NSW team after two straight series losses to Queensland, and to do that, he wants all hands on deck.
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“I enjoyed working in Canberra over the last 12 months with Ricky Stuart and the playing group including Jack,” Maguire told SEN.
“Jack wants to settle himself in Sydney and with his new club (the Rabbitohs)… He’s still retired but I told him to get himself playing and see how he’s travelling.
“We’ll have a discussion as the season transpires. We all know he’s a big game player whenever he’s in that arena.
“In time, I’m sure Jack will decide whether he’s ready to go again.”
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