When you think of superstars currently in the NRL the likes of James Tedesco, Cameron Smith, Latrell Mitchell among others come to mind.

It’s time to add Jack Wighton to that list.

Prior to 2019, he was a solid player with oodles of potential.

But heading into the 2020 season, the 27-year-old is one of the most exciting players in the game.

Round 19

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Last season was career-defining for Wighton.

From a State of Origin debut to winning the Clive Churchill medal, the Raiders’ five-eighth bounced back from a murky 2018 to have a year that was jam packed with pure brilliance.

The only thing that could have topped 2019 off is a grand final win but the Raiders fell short to the Roosters in a devastating 14-8 loss.

The entire Raiders team showed plenty of fight and looked like they might actually get there until that call and James Tedesco’s winning try with just eight minutes to go.

Footy fans will never forget the six-again call that some still argue robbed the Raiders of their first premiership since 1994.

However Wighton has accepted and moved on from the call … but he is still yet to re-watch the game.

“I haven’t re-watched the grand final yet and I don’t think I will. It’s done – it’s buried. The six-again thing that’s just rugby league,” Wighton told foxsports.com.au.

“We don’t mention it at training but I still get people coming up in the street though and saying six-again – that’s the only time I ever hear it.”

The Raiders’ superstar played the best game of his career in the grand final and was named the Clive Churchill medallist – making him just the fourth player to receive the honour in a losing side.

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Still soaking in the heartbreaking loss, Wighton wasn’t even thinking about the possibility of winning the medal when it was announced.

“I was up the back kicking stones like a little baby when I heard my name and it was a little bit rattling being one of the biggest moments in my life. Once it sunk in it was a massive honour.”

Jack Wighton speaks after being presented the Clive Churchill medal during the 2019 NRL Grand Final between the Canberra Raiders and the Sydney Roosters. Source: AAP

In the days following the grand final, it was revealed that Roosters’ prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves was told that he was going to win the medal and he was seen waiting side stage to accept it only for Wighton’s name to be announced instead.

The miscommunication unfolded because selector Darren Lockyer submitted his vote late.

Wighton didn’t know anything about the mix up at the time but remembers reading about it afterwards.

“I did see all that hype. On the night I didn’t notice anything wrong because you’re in your own zone and as I said I was up the back kicking stones, but I read all of that stuff.

“It doesn’t take anything away from it for me. I’m very proud of it, I ended up getting it so that’s what matters.”

Wighton had the perfect redemption story last season.

In February 2018, he faced six charges including assault.

The Raiders gave him a lifeline and suspended him for just six matches in July.

However, the NRL stepped in to extend the suspension to 10 matches, ruling him out for the remainder of the season.

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Wighton then bounced back to have a stellar season that will forever stand out in his career.

Besides a grand final appearance and Clive Churchill medal, Wighton also made his New South Wales debut.

It’s a proud achievement for anyone and especially for a player who thought he had ruined any chance he had.

“I thought I blew all my rep chances after obviously all the dramas and because I was getting a bit older, but to get that call up I was over the moon – I was absolutely stoked.”

However, Wighton had a lot of critics after his debut.

He came off the bench to replace underperforming five-eighth Cody Walker and threw a pass that Queensland’s Dane Gagai intercepted and scored off.

NSW lost that game and although it wasn’t entirely Wighton’s fault he felt guilty.

“Even my Origin had to be controversial.

“To lose the game two minutes before the siren in Game 1, I just thought ‘oh how’s this happening’ and then for ‘Freddy’ to show a bit of faith in me, bounce back and win the series it was just amazing.

“I really can’t explain how good that felt and how proud I was to be in Blue.”

NSW coach Brad ‘Freddy’ Fittler saw something in Wighton.

After losing Game 1 he dropped Latrell Mitchell and moved Wighton from the bench to the centres to replace Mitchell.

The belief Fittler had in Wighton was all he needed to back himself in Game’s 2 and 3.

Wighton celebrates with teammates during Game 3 of the State of Origin series. Source: News Corp Australia

“As a footballer and as a competitor it feels like the weight of the world is on your shoulders and as ‘Freddy’ said after that pass ‘it will live with you for the rest of your days,’ but after winning that series I couldn’t care less about that pass.

“In Game 2 I threw a very similar pass that put ‘Foxx’ (Josh Addo-Carr) down the sideline to score.

“I couldn’t buy into all of the hype because there was a fair bit of it at the time after I threw it.”

Wighton turned his career around in a year – he really does have a great redemption story.

There’s no denying he has come a long way, but he says he hasn’t really changed at all, he’s just now in a better position to listen to advice.

“I’m still the same Jack Wighton – I really am.

“I’ve told other people this when they’ve asked me the same question, I’ve had good advice for many years but at the end of the day time’s the best advice. When the time was right that’s when I was ready to take it on.

“I’ve had good people all my career and all my life giving me good judgment and so I’m not going to be a hypocrite and try and give judgment to other kids … but I’ll say the company you keep is a massive one because obviously they will lead you certain ways.

“But I’m not going to be a hypocrite and try and tell kids what to do because I’ve been there and done that and in the end time was the biggest achiever for me.”