If there were ever any doubts about whether Jack Wighton and George Williams would work as Canberra’s halves, they have surely now been dispelled.
Questioned over being too similar in attack at one point this year, the Raiders pairing have begun to hit their straps just when it matters most in 2020.
Both scored doubles in Saturday’s knockout win over Cronulla, each providing one try for the other as well as coming up with solo efforts for themselves.
And now, as a grand-final rematch awaits against the Sydney Roosters likely to be on Friday night, the duo are among the form pairing of the competition.
The Raiders have won 10 of their past 12, with the dangerous pair scoring 14 tries in that time and setting up just as many.
Wighton could well be among the Dally M front-runners for the way he has taken the line on this year, while Englishman Williams now looks nothing like a No.7 in his first year in Australia.
“They’re combining very well together considering they’re a brand new halves combination,” coach Ricky Stuart said.
“We hope we can have a number of years ahead of us with those two as the halves combination.
“(Jack) has had a wonderful season, but there is still a lot more to go from Jack as a five-eighth.”
Wighton was the Clive Churchill Medal winner in last year’s grand-final loss to the Roosters but he is arguably playing even better now than he was this time last year.
While in 2019 he was doing it all himself, he has already laid on more tries and just as many linebreaks for teammates in the shortened 2020 season.
His game sense also showed when he caught Cronulla out with a quick tap early in the second half to give Canberra a lead they never relinquished.
It was one of four tries scored by the halves in a 20-minute stint at GIO Stadium on Saturday night, as the Raiders went from 14-6 behind to 28-14 up.
“The two halves got us right back into it,” Stuart said.
“They both played extremely well. I commended them on their performance to the boys downstairs. I don’t usually single out people.
“But Jack with that quick tap and George with his tries … they threw the team on their shoulders. Basically took us forward. I love that in halves. You know, ‘c’mon follow me’.
“And that’s what they did tonight.”
