Blake Ferguson prepares to face Newcastle after rejecting the Knights to join Parramatta

Blake Ferguson would have been lining up alongside a host of former Roosters teammates at the Knights had Nathan Brown got his way.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 29: Blake Ferguson of the Eels is tackled during the round three NRL match between the Parramatta Eels and the Sydney Roosters at ANZ Stadium on March 29, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

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Blake Ferguson would have been lining up alongside a host of former Roosters teammates at the Knights had Nathan Brown got his way.

Brown made his pitch to entice the former NSW and Australian winger to the club joining the likes of ex-Roosters Mitchell Pearce, Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Connor Watson and Aidan Guerra at the Knights.

Ferguson met just days after scoring two tries for the Roosters against the Knights last June. But a month later he agreed to a rich three year contract with the Eels.

“I wanted to be in Sydney with my kids,” Ferguson said. “My family is all here. I didn’t want to leave Sydney. It would’ve been too big of a move and far away from my kids. I want to be part of their lives.

Ferguson’s former Roosters teammates did their best to get him north. Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images.

“I didn’t even have to move houses. I could stay in the same place. I had a chat to Browny. The rest is history. I decided to come to the Eels.”

Ferguson rates himself a “90 per cent” chance of taking to the field to play a desperate Newcastle side in Newcastle tomorrow. He missed Parramatta’s historic win against Wests Tigers on Monday because of a rib injury. A badly broken nose suffered against Canberra may have left him with two black eyes — and teammate Reed Mahoney quipping Ferguson is now looking like a “two out of 10” — but that has not stopped Ferguson from playing.

“I can play with a fractured nose any day of the week,” Ferguson said. “It’s just the ribs. If I get through the session on Saturday I’ll be sweet to play.

“I actually enjoyed watching it from the sidelines. I got to watch the way the boys play and see the momentum was going the other way and how we were getting it. It gave me an extra set of eyes and stuff that I don’t see I was able to see it. I helped the boys out this week and it will help me.”

Ferguson has been in top form for Parramatta. AAP Image/Rohan Thomson.

Ferguson has been a revelation since joining the Eels as a marquee off-season signing. He may have joined a side who finished with the wooden spoon last year but Ferguson said he had little doubts the Eels could return to the finals this year.

“One of the main reasons I signed with the club was because of the way they played in 2017,” Ferguson said. “I loved their brand of footy. The only thing the needed to fix was the defence. We are doing a better job this year in yardage and our defensive systems have gotten better. I’m really happy of the move. I’m just enjoying it and the coaching staff have been awesome.

“Brad Arthur — I take my hat off to him. He does a good job in preparing us right. Hopefully he signs a new contract.”

Originally published as Blake Ferguson prepares to face Newcastle after rejecting the Knights to join Parramatta