The rugby league world moves quickly.
It seems like yesterday that reports of Jack Wighton's intentions to test the open market were dominating the timelines.
Instead, we've received confirmation that the former Dally M medalist has completed his 2024 move and will be wearing red and green for potentially the rest of his career.
Canberra, rather than insisting on ridiculous, face-saving enquiries from the NRL, need to accept the decision and look forward ... and quickly!
With the greatest of respects to players currently off-contract, pickings are fairly slim.
I've searched the off-contract, and even contracted but potentially available, players in efforts to provide five potential replacements.
Unfortunately, Wighton's early to mid-season decision has really put Canberra on the back foot. That said, this situation is very solvable.
Below are five potential options to replace Jack Wighton for 2024 and beyond:
1. A look to England
I'll cheat a bit here and add the Super League as an option.
Ricky Stuart has shown no hesitation to looking across the pond in the past. George Williams was plucked out of the Super League while Bateman and Sutton also made the long trip.
Former Manly five-eighth Cade Cust is tearing it up in England. He's supposedly off-contract.
Curtis Sironen, albeit in a wider role, is in red hot form. He has an option for 2024 and has the talent to shift back into a running five-eight role.
Mikey Lewis would be the player I'd be pushing for if I'm in the Green Machine fan base.
His performances have had a lot to do with Hull KR's sitting in third position behind only powerhouses Wigan and Warrington.
At 21 years of age, and with 43 Super League games to his name, he has the mixture of youth and experience to be worth a transfer fee.
Lewis is just an example of why all is not lost for Ricky Stuart on his search for a future star.
