NRL 2024: Brisbane Broncos Fly out to begin Las Vegas camp, South Sydney in San Diego
Rabbitohs recruit Jack Wighton says rumours of his fallout with NSW coach Brad Fittler were exaggerated as he considers coming out of rep retirement in 2024.
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Jack Wighton has slammed suggestions he has had a fallout with former NSW State of Origin coach Brad Fittler.
The high-profile Rabbitohs recruit has broken his silence from San Diego on his Origin aspirations in the wake of overwhelmingn support from arguably the most influential figure in the decision, Souths head coach Jason Demetriou.
Wighton’s NSW appearances currently sit capped at 10 games after the outstanding ballrunner made the call in 2023 to retire from representative football.
However, as first reported by The Daily Telegraph, Wighton is considering making himself available for new Blues head coach Michael Maguire, should his form be worthy of selection ahead of this year’s state series.
The reports of Wighton’s Origin appetite triggered the rugby league rumour mill to spark whispers that his decision to step down from representative footy was to do with his relationship with Fittler.
However, the former Dally M winner shook his head in utter frustration at the assertion when discussing the topic during Souths current training camp in San Diego.
“Because I say nothing, everyone is allowed to write their own stories,” said Wighton, who is suspended from the Rabbitohs’ season opener against Manly in Las Vegas on March 3.
“There’s not one bit of truth. I’ve got all the love in the world for Freddy (Fittler). He saved my rep career.
“He gave me my first jersey (in 2019), he backed me for 10 games.
“That’s just a load of shit.
“It had nothing to do with it. I had a big last year, there was a lot going on.
“After the World Cup, it was one of the best experiences of my life, I was content.
“That was my personal choice. That’s why I done what I done. It was nothing to do with Freddy at all.”
Asked if held a desire to return for the Blues, Wighton, who is suspended until round three, put it simply.
“My goal is deadset to get my foot in the door and on the park with Souths,” Wighton said.
“That’s where my head is at the moment.
“It’s one foot at a time. I want to play good footy here. That’s my main objective right now.
“I’m overcoming a calf injury and trying to come back from a suspension.”
One person that won’t be standing in Wighton’s way is Demetriou.
The Rabbitohs head coach said he has loved getting to know the former Raiders star over the pre-season, adding that if the strike player’s form warranted Origin selection, he would support it.
“I wasn’t fortunate enough in my career to play Origin and there’s no way I’m going to stop anyone from playing,” Demetriou said.
“That’s not a conversation I’ll have with anybody because it’s such a pinnacle of the game.
“At the same time, if we get to round 12 and five or six of our players have been picked in Origin, I’m going to be a happy coach.
“Because I know the players have been selected because the team is winning.
“If as a result of us that we get picked in Origin, that’s great.
“We’re better equipped to deal with that this year than what we were last year.
“Jack is coming off the back of a calf injury, he’s focused on his rehab and getting back in round three for South Sydney.
“So there’s a lot for him to be narrow in his focus for. I understand why he wants to put that as his priority and I agree with it.
“Origin isn’t going to be picked for three months.
“There’s plenty of time for him to have those conversations.”
Walters well aware he has plenty to prove in Vegas
-Peter Badel
Billy Walters, the son of Broncos coach Kevin Walters, heads to The Land of Opportunity taking nothing for granted.
The Broncos departed Australia on Thursday for their historic round 1 clash against the Roosters in Las Vegas and Walters, who is on the verge of inking a new deal at Brisbane, is backing himself to stave off a three-way threat for one of the most hotly contested positions at the Broncos.
After several years battling for NRL prominence, Walters enjoyed the greatest campaign of his career last season, playing 26 games and cementing the contentious No. 9 jumper as the quiet achiever whose craft around the rucks helped Brisbane to the grand final.
But few, if any, positions at the Broncos are so competitive. Back-up Tyson Smoothy has been handed a new deal, Cory Paix has impressed Broncos coaching staff with an excellent pre-season and 19-year-old Blake Mozer is regarded as Brisbane’s next big thing at hooker.
Walters is mindful of the threat from within, but says he feels no pressure to operate as an 80-minute hooker in a bid to deny his rivals precious game time around the rucks.
“I had made it a goal of mine to try and put in 80 minutes this year, but ‘Kevvie’ (coach Walters) hasn’t harped on that too much,” Walters said.
“He thinks the game has moved away from the 80-minute hooker.
“There’s a few in the game (who can play the full game) but he would rather give me a good 40, 50 or 60 minutes, rather than trying to save my lungs or not going as hard as I can to try and save myself for the whole 80 minutes.
“He is looking for quality minutes from me instead of long minutes.
“As long as I am busting my guts during the time I’m on the field, he is happy to bring me off.”
SMOOTH OPERATORS BATTLE IT OUT FOR 14 JERSEY
Smoothy has the inside running to wear the No. 14 jumper after supporting Walters in last year’s grand final, but Tristan Sailor is banging down the door for a supersub role after two outstanding performances in the trials
“It’s a good (selection) headache Kevvie has got coming into round 1,” Walters said.
“We have so many different options and so many different ways he can go with so many good players.
“Unfortunately, we can’t all fit into the 17. It’s a position we like to be in, there’s some boys missing out who could easily be there.
“But I just have to worry about me and making sure I’m in the team and let Kevvie worry about the make up of the side.”
‘THE CLUB IS KEEN TO KEEP ME’
The Broncos have secured star halves Ezra Mam and Adam Reynolds to new deals in the past fortnight and crafty hooker Walters will be the next member of Brisbane’s playmaking spine to extend his tenure at the club.
club bosses have opened talks with Walters, who heads to America as a free agent.
Just turned 30, the off-contract rake hopes to ink a two-year extension in the weeks after Brisbane’s blockbuster at Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium, which will represent Walters’ 50th game in Broncos colours.
“I am pretty keen to stay,” Walters said.
“I know the club is pretty keen to keep me, so I suppose it’s not too much of a rush.
“I am focusing on footy and playing good football and repaying the faith of the club.
“There’s bigger fish to fry with Ezra, ‘Walshy’ (Reece Walsh) and ‘Reyno’ (in talks on new deals), but I’m sure it will get done in the next couple of weeks and I can focus on footy after that.”
‘HEARTBROKEN’: BRONCOS HEAD TO VEGAS TO BEGIN REVENGE MISSION
Superstar prop Payne Haas and coach Kevin Walters have fired a warning shot at the NRL, declaring Brisbane are primed to win this year’s premiership and bring the famous Panthers title dynasty crashing down.
Haas and Walters were in a bullish mood as the Broncos flew out of Brisbane on Thursday morning to begin their 2024 premiership assault against the Roosters in the NRL’s historic double header in Las Vegas.
The Broncos will jet into Los Angeles for a week-long camp at the training headquarters of NFL side the Rams before heading to Sin City for their round 1 clash with the Roosters at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday week.
There is a view the Broncos will be psychologically battered by the worst collapse in NRL grand-final history against Penrith last season.
Haas’ forward teammate Jordan Riki admits he was left “sick” after Brisbane’s squad watched a replay of last year’s decider, in which the Broncos inexplicably blew a 24-8 lead with 16 minutes to play.
But Haas is adamant the Broncos are not broken and says Brisbane are ready to begin the climb to the premiership summit – starting against fellow title contenders the Roosters.
“I know we have the team to win the comp,” said Haas, Brisbane’s five-time Paul Morgan Medallist.
“It’s just a matter of how consistent we are each week and learning from what happened last year.
“I feel like we can learn from it.
“We did a review at the start of the year about the grand final and we just put it in the background.
“That was 2023 and we’re now focusing on 2024. It’s a new year and we are looking to go one better.
“It does motivate us, but if we think about it too much, then can you dwell on it and that’s not a good thing.
“We have a new focus.
“I can’t wait for Vegas. We are going to LA first for a week in camp, so it will be good to connect with the guys and get the two points in Vegas.”
Riki opened up about Brisbane’s horror movie _ a final-quarter capitulation that saw Brisbane’s title dream become a nightmare.
“It was gut wrenching,” Riki said of Brisbane’s grand-final loss.
“I’ve never really felt heartbreak like that before.
“It genuinely is one of those moments. I felt sick.
“’Kevvie’ (Walters) asked the boys who had watched the grand final and about three boys put their hand up to say they had watched the game fully.
“For us to sit down as a team, it was a healing session for us, to go through it and watch it.
“It hurt every single guy in the room but it made us want to go out there and play and train harder.
“We believe we have the team to do it (win the title) _ we are willing to (work hard) again.”
The jury is out on the Broncos after an off-season of roster turbulence that has seen Brisbane lose four players from last year’s grand final squad.
Haas’ front-row partner-in-crime Tom Flegler has joined the Dolphins, as has strike centre Herbie Farnworth, while versatile forward Keenan Palasia (Titans) and vice-skipper Kurt Capewell (Warriors) are other major losses.
But Walters is a coach on a mission.
Traditionally reluctant to make predictions, Walters, a six-time premiership winner as a player, says the Broncos have the firepower to deny Penrith a fourth straight title and deliver Brisbane’s first since 2006.
“Definitely, I think we can (win the premiership), I strongly believe so,” Walters said.
“It’s a big mixture of things.
“We certainly have the talent to do it. There’s enough motivation there, I believe.
“We are a much better team from this point (last year) … our starting point this season is closer to where we want to get to, but reaching out to touch it (the premiership), it would feel pretty nice.
“We are looking short-term at the moment with the Roosters in Vegas and we’ll go from there.”
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