Kangaroos and Blues star Jack Wighton’s shock decision to quit representative football has been explained as a move to make him more valuable to the Dolphins.
The playmaker has been heavily linked with the Dolphins and coach Wayne Bennett has declared he’d be willing to pay more than $1 million for the gun No. 6.
“He’ll go to the Dolphins, I really think he will,” Phil Rothfield said on NRL 360.
“He’s a more valuable player not playing State of Origin, there’s that six-week period in the middle of the season where he’ll be available for the Dolphins and not getting bashed up in the heaviest body contact in world sport - Origin.
“He was a little bit peeved (about missing selection in the 2022 decider) and I think it’s one of the reasons he was weighing it up.”
Brent Read revealed Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga had known for some time Wighton was considering it, while Braith Anasta believes there is “something else to it”.