Jack Wighton and Nick Cotric earn NSW Blues selection

The Raiders duo have been named in Brad Fittler's 17-man Blues squad for game one against the Queensland Maroons at Suncorp Stadium on June 5.

Cotric has been named on the right wing outside returning veteran Josh Morris, while Wighton's versatility has catapulted him into the No. 14 jersey.

It caps off a remarkable turnaround for Wighton, who "found a new outlook on life and on the game" while serving a 10-game suspension for assault last year.

He has been a revelation at five-eighth for Canberra this season and his utility value gives the Blues a major strike weapon on the bench.

"I think everyone has wanted him to play for NSW for quite a while, he's just a very aggressive player," Fittler said.

"The way he has fine-tuned his game playing five-eighth, he has been fantastic and getting better and better each week. He's aggressive.

"Whatever position he plays, you just know he's going to run hard, he's going to tackle hard, you're going to know if you get hit by him and you're going to know if you tackle him.

"They're really important things in State of Origin."

Cody Walker beat Wighton in the race to partner Nathan Cleary in the halves - but Cotric says his Canberra teammate will be just as dangerous coming off the bench.

"Jacko has stepped up over the past couple of years, especially this year. The five-eighth role is something different to him, but he has taken it with both hands," Cotric said.

"He deserves it, he's a great player, on and off the field he is a good bloke. He is a big body too, coming off the bench he would be deadly, he would be dangerous.

"He's always talking to you, always telling you where to go in defence. Off the footy, he works hard too, especially with that kick chase and that running game he has got, he is definitely a talented player."

Origin selection is the latest chapter in 20-year-old Cotric's meteoric rise in the top grade since making his debut just over two years ago.

Wind the clock back a little further and Cotric was heading into NSW under 18s camp under the watchful eye of Fittler - the same man he will partner with to steel NSW's bid to retain the shield for the first time in since 2005.

"It's hard making phone calls to people you have left out, and that's a really tough part of the job," Fittler said.

"But the greatest pleasure is when you ring someone [like] Nick Cotric, Jack Wighton, Cody Walker, and tell them they're playing their first State of Origin game.

"That is a pretty special thing to do."

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart has no doubt Cotric will be up to the task when he is thrown into the Origin arena having done so with every challenge throughout his 59-game NRL career.

But Stuart will have a fresh headache to contend with this week with Wighton and Cotric set to miss Canberra's clash with Canterbury on Saturday night due to their Blues commitments.

Josh Papalii's impending selection for Queensland and co-captain Josh Hodgson's fractured thumb could leave Canberra without seven first-choice players as they look to snap a three-game losing streak.

NSW Blues squad: 1. James Tedesco, 2. Josh Addo-Carr, 3. Latrell Mitchell, 4. Josh Morris, 5. Nick Cotric, 6. Cody Walker, 7. Nathan Cleary, 8. David Klemmer, 9. Damien Cook, 10. Paul Vaughan, 11. Boyd Cordner, 12. Tyson Frizell, 13. Jake Trbojevic. Interchange: 14. Jack Wighton, 15. Payne Haas, 16. Angus Crichton, 17. Cameron Murray.