Former Leigh Leopards and NRL star Blake Ferguson finds new club in Australia
Blake Ferguson lifts the 1895 Cup for Leigh - Alamy
Having not played professionally since his Leigh Leopards departure, ex-NRL winger Blake Ferguson has a new club down under.
The 33-year-old flier – who this year pulled on a shirt for Grade 6 Rugby League outfit Thirlmere-Tahmoor Roosters – has linked up with another country club, the Kurri Kurri Bulldogs.
Based in New South Wales, the Bulldogs compete in the Newcastle Rugby League as well as the NSWRL Presidents Cup Northern Conference.
Ferguson won promotion with Leigh – then Centurions – this time last year, beating Batley Bulldogs in the play-off final, before returning to Australia amid a reported health scare in his immediate family. He also lifted the 1895 Cup during his time with the club, scoring a try in their final triumph over Featherstone Rovers at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
Blake Ferguson has a new club down under
The Bulldogs play at the Kurri Kurri Sportsground, infamously dubbed as ‘The Graveyard’, and the town itself has a population of circa 5700.
Wellington-born Ferguson hails from an even smaller community in Wellington, around 200 miles west of Kurri Kurri. The veteran scored 21 tries in 17 games for Leigh during his short stint, that his only venture into the British game.
Upon signing the former Australia and Sydney Roosters star, the Bulldogs released a Facebook post which read: “What a huge signing for our club! We are proud to announce that Blake Ferguson has signed with the Kurri Kurri Bulldogs for the 2024 season.
“Blake is a former NRL player, Blues State of Origin and Australian player and we are stoked to have him on board.
“Welcome to the Bulldogs, Blake! #pushkurri #kurrikurribulldogs”
Veteran winger plays on in 2024
During a glittering career, the free-scoring speedster has tallied over 200 NRL appearances between Cronulla Sharks, Canberra Raiders, Sydney Roosters and Parramatta Eels.
Ferguson also spent a short time in Japanese rugby union before linking up with Adrian Lam’s Leigh, and has representative appearances for the Indigenous All Stars, Prime Minister’s XIII, Country NSW and New South Wales themselves in Origin rugby as well as his seven Kangaroos caps.
Earlier this year, he backed himself on social media to still be a ‘top five winger’ in the NRL, sparking mass debate amongst the rugby league world.
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