The Canberra Raiders have lost an attacking x-factor in Anthony Milford, but prop Dane Tilse has backed Jack Wighton to make the successful jump to fullback and has compared his fearless running game to State of Origin representative Josh Dugan.
Wighton, 22, has played every position in the backline for the Raiders, but will be given a shot at stability when he starts in the No.1 jersey this year.
The Raiders have been forced to shuffle through their fullbacks in recent seasons. After Dugan was sacked in 2013 Milford starred in the role.
Milford has since transferred to the Brisbane Broncos, giving Wighton the opportunity to cement a permanent position.
Wighton performed strongly at fullback in the final three games of last season. Tilse is confident his charges from the back will help put Canberra's pack on the front foot.
"In the past us forwards have gone well with Duges and those type of guys getting quick play-the-balls at the start of the set," Tilse said.
"All of a sudden the forward pack looks better and gets on a roll. Jack will probably get an extra five metres off every kick return because he's such a powerful runner.
"Obviously Tony [Milford] has freakish skill and can find space, but teams with a good kick-chase can nullify that to a degree. All the boys are excited to have Jack back there."
Wighton has previously admitted it's the most nervous he's been before the start of a season, citing a fear of failure.
But Tilse said his teammates believe he will relish his latest challenge.
"Jack's normally pretty nervous, he was nervous going to five-eighth last year but the players don't worry about him, that's for sure," Tilse said. "We know the ability he's got, and have got full faith in him.
"He's got to get his confidence up but he should have some from the few games he had there last year."
Tilse added the emergence of young props Shannon Boyd and Paul Vaughan, plus the recruitment of Frank-Paul Nu'uausala, had given the Raiders' front row extra diversity. The Raiders have also created depth by adding Queensland Cup player of the year and nuggety prop Luke Page.
"Boydy and Vaughany are genetically that gifted. Boydy is that big and has a massive motor, Vaughany's got pace and is a great ball carrier.
"Luke Page and Frank-Paul have come in and added a different shape, the rest of us are pretty tall. It's good to have that variety in that pack which can use everyone's strengths."
While the raiders are considered outsiders with bookmakers to make the finals, Tilse said the club had an internal expectation to finish in the top eight.
Now Canberra's most capped player with 198 NRL appearances, Tilse has never played in a Raiders team that has reached the top four.
"Nothing less than the top eight is going to be acceptable," he said.
"I'd love nothing more than by the end of next year to have the club sitting up in the top four, it hasn't happened since I've been here.
"That'd definitely be my goal by the time I leave here at the end of next year."
