Blues star Jack Wighton tests positive to COVID-19, ruled out of State of Origin II

NSW have been dealt an enormous blow forward of the second State of Origin with barnstorming centre Jack Wighton set to be dominated out of their must-win conflict with COVID-19.

The Canberra playmaker will miss the Raiders’ conflict with Newcastle on Sunday after contracting the virus, which requires him to spend seven days in isolation.

“Raiders five-eighth Jack Wighton has been dominated out of Sunday’s match in opposition to the Knights as a result of COVID protocols,” the membership introduced late on Friday.

“Wighton will comply with COVID return to play protocols as soon as his isolation is accomplished subsequent week.”

Coach Brad Fittler is about to call his Blues line-up on Sunday with NSW needing victory in Perth subsequent Sunday after Queensland received the collection opener in Sydney.

Wighton was a certainty because the stand-out of their shock 16-10 loss.

They’re set to depart Sydney for Perth on Monday to start preparations and Wighton might probably be a part of the squad late within the week, nevertheless, it will be an enormous gamble if he can be as much as enjoying Origin.

Wighton was shifted from his normal five-eighth position into the centres to cowl the lack of injured stars Latrell Mitchell and Tom Trbojevic.

Mitchell has recovered from his hamstring harm however is but to play a NRL recreation.

The door is open for Penrith’s Stephen Crichton, who got here off the bench in Sydney, to begin at left centre in reduction of Wighton with Canterbury’s Matt Burton, South Sydney’s Campbell Graham and Cronulla’s Siosifa Talakai additionally in competition.

Burton’s present mixture with Blues duo Jarome Luai and Brian To’o, with whom he received a premiership on the Panthers final 12 months, could possibly be an edge in his favour.

Queensland could possibly be pressured right into a change of their very own after Cowboys lock Reuben Cotter was a late scratching from his facet’s win over Manly as a result of a hamstring pressure.

Cotter went down within the warm-up and is unsure for Origin II with Jai Arrow and Patrick Carrigan the candidates to interchange the rugged North Queenslander within the beginning line-up.

Arrow, 18th man in Sydney, could possibly be a straight substitute for Cotter, who impressed in his Origin debut as he performed all 80 minutes, made 51 tackles and ran for 134 metres.

If Carrigan was moved to the 13 jersey, Brisbane’s Tom Flegler could possibly be his substitute on the bench for his second Origin look after he debuted in final 12 months’s useless rubber.

AAP/ABC