Since being fined and having his contract almost torn up a few weeks ago, Blake Ferguson has come back into the Canberra Raiders side and been in some decent form.
One the weekend Ferguson tore the Newcastle Knights apart in a display that saw him dominate the entire outcome of the game. Ferguson broke the Knights and set off what ended up being a complete annihilation at Canberra Stadium. His performance saw many calling for him to be selected for New South Wales in the State Of Origin series.
For me….I’m not so sure….
Blake Ferguson is a really good athlete. No one has ever questioned that.
The best parts of his game are sensational. He has the size and speed to cause any outside back problems. He has the strength to start something from not much, and the finishing ability to put the ball down under the sticks all by himself. Not too many players in the game can say they can do all of that.
The problem I see with Blake Fergusons game is that he still has that terrible mistake in him. Whether it be a dropped pass he should have taken or a sloppy play the ball, even in this good run of form we have seen that Ferguson has that clanger in him.
I don’t think you can carry someone like that at State Of Origin level. At best they are a game changing mistake waiting to happen. At worst, they start the game off poorly and it snowballs into an epic State Of Origin failure that can destroy a players representative career.
There is no doubt that New South Wales does need to take some chances if they hope to beat Queensland and prevent the Maroons from winning and 8th series in a row. In the past there is no doubt that New South Wales selectors have been way too conservative. Even now, news that Laurie Daley is set on selecting Mitchell Pearce, despite his non performance at State Of origin level for years, smacks of a selection panel that is urging on the side of caution going into the 2013 series.
With so many quality outside backs at the Blue disposal, I don’t believe Blake Ferguson is the type of chance you take.
Having only just saved himself from being sacked by the Canberra Raiders, I think it would be the worst thing in the world for Fergusons career if he were to be handed a New South Wales jersey just a few months later. To go from trying to save his career to being swept up in the whole State Of Origin circus is not what he needs. Ferguson needs to play good consistant football and stay out of trouble off the field. He needs to learn that dedication to his career will see him being rewarded, not that a few good games is enough for him to pocket another $30,000 in State Of Origin match payments.
There are players out there who don’t fit the usuall New South Wales State Of Origin mould that I would like to see given a run. Nathan Merritt and Jamal Idris (As a bench forward) are two that stand out for me right now. Blake Ferguson isn’t one of them…
I want to see Blake Ferguson performing well for the Canberra Raiders every single week, I want to see him lose the terrible mistakes, and I want to see him settle off the field before I’d even think about him playing for New South Wales at State Of Origin level.
