Why Cooper Cronk says Jamal Fogarty can unlock free-running Jack Wighton

Firstly, they get a halfback, a man who will be tasked with steering the Raiders around the park to fill the gaping hole left after the shock mid-year departure of Englishman George Williams during 2021.

But he'll play an even more important role for the Green Machine, according to four-time premiership winning halfback Cooper Cronk.

The Fogarty-Wighton pairing passed its first test in a trial last weekend, with Wighton starring in a come-from-behind win against Manly. Now their eyes are squarely set on round one against the Sharks.

"Jamal Fogarty's a really interesting story for the season ahead - everything about the storyline to get him is to open up Jack Wighton," Cronk told The Canberra Times during the Fox League season launch.

"How does he fall into that team under the guidance of [coach] Ricky [Stuart], trying to unlock Jack Wighton to that Dally M sort of level of performance again?

"He [Fogarty] is solid, there's no doubt about that. He's obviously got a really good temperament he was given the captaincy of the Titans, he has decent kicking game.

MORE CANBERRA SPORT

"But he also needs to be a threat, there's a few nuances in terms of being first receiver and ball playing that I think Jamal can improve on. There's no doubt Ricky can help in that regard, he obviously took the opportunity to get to Canberra and time will tell."

Cronk is not the only retired playmaker watching the new Raiders' halves combination with interest.

Former Wests Tiger, St George Illawarra Dragon, Brisbane Bronco, and South Sydney Rabbitoh Benji Marshall believes Williams' departure placed a burden on Wighton last year that took him away from his natural game.

Wighton was thrust into the unnatural role of steering the team around the park, and his form diminished significantly a season after winning the Dally M Medal.

"I like the inclusion of Fogarty from the Titans, I feel like what he's going to do is allow Jack to be able to play his natural game a lot more and just be a runner of the footy, not focus on controlling the side," Marshall said.

"Footy players like to focus on one thing, on their strength or whatever it is.

"At five-eighth you know you can just run the footy and not have to worry about the team but as soon as you go into halfback you have to start organising the side, you've got to start kicking, come up with the gameplan, implement the gameplan there's just so many more things to it. It just takes away from your focus.

"Jack didn't get Dally M player of the year for nothing, he's a great player. Everyone has that kind of year where they want to be better. He'll bounce back, this is the year I reckon.

"I think they [the Raiders] are borderline top four in my opinion."

Fogarty has slotted in seamlessly at the Raiders, quickly bouncing back from a bout of COVID-19 over the festive period.

Wighton played for a season and a half alongside Williams in the halves, before the latter abruptly moved back to the north of England due to homesickness.

It was a combination former Newcastle and Cronulla five-eighth Matthew Johns believed never quite worked.

"I thought in some ways the role that George played sometimes, and the way George liked to play in the last couple of years sometimes was a bit hard on Jack," Johns said.

"George is a quality player but George plays his best when he runs the football and Jack plays his best when he runs the football.

"Suddenly that put a little bit more onus on Jack to organise and that's the thing.

"When you're a playmaker, you fall into habits and suddenly Jack was pushing the ball sideways rather than taking the opposition on.

"Fogarty's gone there, Fogarty's a really good talker, good organiser, will take a lot of pressure off Jack and just let Jack do what he does best and just run the football."

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: