Another bubble, no troubles. Jack Wighton would jump at the chance to play State of Origin for NSW this year.
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Even though it would mean the Canberra Raiders five-eighth would have to spend another six weeks in a bubble.
There's been some talk he could even shift across from the centres to the Blues No.6 jersey, such has been his form at the back end of the NRL season.
The 27-year-old has scored eight tries in the past six games to help drive the Green Machine to a semi-final against the Sydney Roosters at the SCG on Friday night.
It's a grand final rematch from last year, when Wighton claimed the Clive Churchill Medal as best on ground in a losing side.
He made his Origin and international debuts in 2019 and is a certainty for selection in Brad Fittler's NSW squad at the end of the season.
"I haven't thought about Origin. I'm just trying to go week to week. But I'd be more than stoked if I was to get the call and get picked," Wighton said.
"It's one of the biggest honours you can have as a rugby league player.
"A little bit of commitment and going back into camp and going into another bubble is nothing. The positives far outweigh the negatives of that situation.
"But at the moment I'm only worried about a week at a time. It's been a crazy year so who knows what's around the corner."
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Having made his debut in NSW's 2019 series win in the centres, Wighton wasn't fussed where he played.
Those decisions were above his "pay grade".
But teammate Elliott Whitehead was confident he could make the move to the halves for the Blues as well, having only shifted there at the start of last season.
While Whitehead hasn't played in the Origin arena, the England international has played in world cups.
"Yeah 100 per cent. He's probably got the best running game of any six in the competition," Whitehead said.
"He's played Origin so I don't see why he couldn't fill that six [jersey] this year and it will be really nice to see him after he's had a great year for us.
"It would be really rewarding if he did get that six jersey."
Wighton has already written off the 2019 grand final and his only concern now is this season as he prepares for the Roosters.
But he does take something from their one visit to the SCG this season, where they beat the Roosters despite having an injury depleted side.
The orientation of the rectangular field on the historic oval has been known to throw halves' kicking games out, but Wighton said the Raiders' new centre of excellence would help cope with that.
"It is a bit different up there. It chucks you out of whack a little bit, but we're pretty lucky - our training field is very similar," he said.
"It has the same oval setting and the first few times you kick on it you are a little bit out of whack here too.
"It's a beautiful stadium up there and a lot of history there so it will be good to get back up there."
NRL SEMI-FINAL
Friday: Canberra Raiders v Sydney Roosters at the SCG, 7.50pm.
David Polkinghorne
Covering the Raiders, Cavalry, cycling and racing, plus everything else that involves sport in the ACT, for The Canberra Times. Basically I love sport and watching it is a full-time job. Email: david.polkinghorne@canberratimes.com.au
Covering the Raiders, Cavalry, cycling and racing, plus everything else that involves sport in the ACT, for The Canberra Times. Basically I love sport and watching it is a full-time job. Email: david.polkinghorne@canberratimes.com.au
