NRL 2023: Why rugby league shouldn’t pay for Blake Ferguson’s broken nose, Paul Crawley

How can Blake Ferguson say the game hasn’t looked after him? He earned millions during his career, surely he could have saved some money to fix his broken nose, writes PAUL CRAWLEY.

Blake Ferguson earned millions throughout his NRL career and should have some money saved away to fix his nose, writes Paul Crawley. Picture: Getty Images.

Blake Ferguson would have earned a conservative estimate of $4 million throughout the course of his NRL career.

Surely he could have put aside a few thousand dollars of all that to cover the gap on his private health insurance to fix his broken nose.

And if he didn’t have enough money left to get that done, then he should be embarrassed by his shameful grab for cash to fix it now.

And so should his high profile mates, including Latrell Mitchell, Josh Addo-Carr and Andrew Fifita, who have all jumped on the bandwagon to imply the NRL has somehow let Ferguson down for not covering his medical costs.

The reality is Ferguson would have been entitled to have his nose fixed for free if he had sought treatment at any stage during the year after his final season at Parramatta in 2021.

But instead Ferguson went off to play rugby union in Japan before he was released from that contract after being locked up for cocaine possession.

So he then went to the UK Super League to play with the Leigh Centurions.

Now he is back in Australia with his hand out and basically saying he has been somehow short changed.

Blake Ferguson earned millions throughout his NRL career and should have some money saved away to fix his nose, writes Paul Crawley. Picture: Getty Images.

To put it in perspective, most Australians would not earn half of what Ferguson made in just over a decade throughout their entire working lives.

Yet he still has the hide to vent his anger on social media about how the game has not looked after him.

“Surely I can be compensated for ruining my face. This wouldn’t have happened if I just played for ya local footy team.’’

But what Ferguson conveniently overlooks is that in local footy he would not have earned millions of dollars.

And for Latrell, Addo-Carr and Fifita to chime in with their comments only highlights how much they have obviously also lost touch with the majority of Aussie battlers out there who are going through hell in these dire economic times just to make ends meet and put food on the table for their families.

Mitchell wrote: “Regardless of how long you’re out of the game you should be compensated for your dedication.’’

Fifita added: “Someone’s gotta help Fergy Ferg.’’

Blake Ferguson's busted nose no one will pay to fix.

It’s just ludicrous.

Maybe these blokes should just put their hands in their own pockets to help out their mate instead of leaving it to the NRL to foot the bill.

The sad irony is this story broke the same day Lynn McGregor, the wife of former St George premiership winner Rod, spoke about her husband’s declining health as he deals with dementia.

But instead of begging for financial help or threatening to sue over the concussion injuries Rod suffered during his career, Lynn praised the NRL for the work they are doing by trying to reduce concussion injuries.

She also said if he husband had his time over he would not have changed a thing, he would have still played rugby league regardless of the damage it did to his brain because he loved the sport.

Yet Rod would not have made more than $10,000 in his three years playing for St George and South Sydney back in the 1970s, a far cry from what Ferguson would have pocketed in a single season at any point during his career.