Jack Wighton faces ban after match review committee charges him twice

Canberra’s bad start to the year could be about to get a whole lot worse with Jack Wighton looking at two weeks on the sidelines.

Canberra’s horror start to the year keeps getting worse with Jack Wighton facing up to three matches on the sidelines after he was charged by the match review committee. Picture; Scott Gardiner/Getty Images

The Raiders could be without five-eighth Jack Wighton for the next two games after he was hit with a grade two dangerous contact charge during Canberra’s ugly loss to Newcastle on Sunday afternoon.

The match review committee has shown no leniency towards players who make illegal contact with kickers in the air, with Storm halfback Jahrome Hughes banned for two games for his shot on Tanah Boyd.

Unlike Hughes, Wighton made contact with Jackson Hastings’ head which is why he was also sent to the sin bin on Sunday.

Wighton was sent to the sin bin for a high shot which now sees him facing up to three weeks on the sidelines. Picture; Scott Gardiner/Getty Images

Wighton can accept a two-game ban if he takes the early guilty plea, but that would be extended to three matches if he fights it at the judiciary on Tuesday night and loses.

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart hoped that Wighton would avoid scrutiny because Hastings wasn’t injured, but the match review committee showed him no mercy after he rushed up to whack the halfback in a bid to swing momentum.

“Hastings got up pretty quickly so fortunately there was no problem there, which I think they take into account. He was falling when Jack came in,” Stuart said after the game.

“He’s just trying to change the momentum of the play and get a bit of energy in a desperate period of play.”

Wighton was also charged for a careless high tackle on Lachie Miller but he can escape with an $1800 fine if he takes the early guilty plea, but the possible ban for the other offence means he could miss games against Penrith and Brisbane.

The Raiders are already struggling with just one win from the opening four rounds, which is why they may be tempted to roll the dice given they’ll be rank outsiders without him in their upcoming games.

Jayden Sullivan was charged twice for two separate incidents on Sunday night but won’t miss any matches. Picture; Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

The only other played charged out of Sunday’s matches was Dragons five-eighth Jayden Sullivan, who also earnt the ire of the MRC for two separate incidents in the space of 60 seconds.

Sullivan can accept a $1000 fine for tripping Will Kennedy, while he’s facing an identical punishment for dangerous contact on Teig Wilton.