Ferguson following Stuart out of Sharks
JAMIE PANDARAM
July 3, 2010
Cronulla's talented youngster says it is time to move on, writes Jamie Pandaram.
Boom rookie Blake Ferguson is quitting Cronulla because of the club's weaknesses on and off the field, and has activated a clause in his contract that should coach Ricky Stuart leave, he too could walk. Ferguson no longer believes the Sharks can win a premiership and after Stuart announced he would resign at the end of the season, the winger decided his future lay elsewhere.
The 20-year-old will play out the remainder of the season with Cronulla before joining another NRL side, and his management is now seeking interest from rival teams.
Stuart was instrumental in Ferguson's development, but aside from the coaching shake-up the club's uneasy financial position is another factor in his decision, along with his desire to play in the centres.
''I want to win a premiership, and also with the things going on in the club, the uncertainty, I just want to be in a stable place where I can concentrate on winning a title, that is what is in my heart,'' Ferguson told the Herald. ''It is nothing personal, I do have an emotional attachment to the club. I just want to win.''
The move by Ferguson has caused a massive stir at the Sharks, with incoming coach Shane Flanagan storming out of a meeting with the player after being told his intentions this week.
Ferguson is viewed as one of the brightest prospects in the game, just pipped by Jamal Idris as the 2009 Dally M rookie of the year. He also turned heads in the Indigenous All Stars game when he ran down Israel Folau, and was the key to Cronulla breaking a 13-game losing streak earlier this year with two brilliant individual tries against Parramatta in the 11-0 victory.
Cronulla - who recently fought off bankruptcy - do not want to lose one of their most exciting players particularly with sponsors hard to come by, a record of just five wins this season, and the worst attack in the league, but Ferguson rejected the idea he was abandoning the club that gave him a start.
''If it wasn't for Ricky Stuart I wouldn't be here, he saw me at my first trial and said he wanted to be a part of my development and he has helped me through all the grades,'' Ferguson said. ''Now he's going. I have thought about this long and hard, it wasn't a snap decision. I just want to open a new chapter in my career, continue my growth and play representative football. I thought I put myself in the best position this year, but it's hard from the club perspective because we're not travelling that well on the field.
''I will stay until the end of the year, I will do my job the best I can, do what I love and that is scoring tries.''
Ferguson has been frustrated on the wing, despite scoring 13 tries since his debut in round one last year. ''I want to use my promise at centre, that hasn't been touched,'' Ferguson said. ''I've got a creative side, I'm not just a finisher, so I'm looking to do that at my next club.''
Ferguson signed a contract extension with the Sharks last year that was to keep him in the Shire until the end of 2012, but he inserted the Stuart clause because of a series of problems the club experienced on and off the field.
Ferguson's manager and uncle is the former NRL star-turned-boxer Solomon Haumono, who praised the youngster for his bold move. Haumono is married to Ferguson's aunty Margaret, and the pair runs a sports management and mentoring company.
''As his family and his managers we stand behind him, we want him to develop and we've got his best interests at heart,'' Haumono said. ''We have moved through this process professionally, we've done everything by the book, and nothing about this is personal.
''Cronulla needed to call upon youngsters last year and Blake stood tall, nobody could question his effort, he has shown how strong a kid he is. I am proud because throughout this Blake has acted in a manner beyond his years.''
