Wighton wins as Blues dominate Dally Ms
Brydens Lawyers NSW Blues player Jack Wighton has taken out the 2020 Dally M medal in what was a domination for NSW, with five other players represented in the top ten leader board at the virtual awards ceremony at Fox Sports studios on Monday night.
NSW players rounded out the top three in Wighton, who polled 26 points across the 20 regular rounds and right behind him was Clint Gutherson (25) and Nathan Cleary (24), while Sydney Roosters five-eighth Luke Keary (18), True Blue Adam Reynolds (17) and Ryan Papenhuyzen (16) were also in top ten contention.
27-year-old Wighton became just the third Raiders player in history, behind his coach Ricky Stuart (1993) and Laurie Daley (1995), to receive the prestigious award after a stellar season that included 13 tries, eight try assists and a game-changing play against the Roosters that helped them into week three of the finals series.
"I'm absolutely shocked, the players I was sitting there with and it could have been anyone, so to receive this medal tonight in front of so many good players, I'm blown away," Wighton said.
"It was a rocky year and we had some key players go down with injury. We didn't finish the way we wanted of finish but I'm still proud of all the boys' efforts.
"I really can't believe it, it just feels amazing. As a kid I would never have thought I would be talking about something like this.
"I'm so thankful. This is right up there and definitely something I'll never forget."
Wighton made his debut for NSW last year, coming off the bench in Game I last year and played at centre in Games II and III and since the Raiders elimination from the finals, he was named in Brad Fittler’s 27-man squad to face the Maroons next month.