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Former international Blake Ferguson launched into the NRL in a blistering Instagram post after being told the governing body would not be covering any medical bills to fix injuries suffered during his playing days.
The retired winger played the last of his 249 NRL games for Parramatta in 2021 before finishing his career in the UK with Leigh Centurions after a short-lived stint in Japanese rugby which ended when he was jailed over allegations of assault and cocaine possession.
He spent nearly a month in jail and his $1.5m deal with the NEC Green Rockets was torn up.
The 32-year-old former NSW and Australia representative needs surgery to correct breathing difficulties after several broken noses during his 12-year career in the NRL.
“After 15 years in the @nrl system, playing 249 games for 4 NRL teams winning a grand final, 7 games for @arlkangaroos, 9 games for @nswblues, winning the Harry sunderland medal (players player for Kangaroos) and breaking my nose over 8 times you’d think they would fix it as I dedicated my life and body to the game,” he wrote in an Instagram story that went live on Wednesday night.
“But no I have been told because I went to japan and England and it has been over 12 months that I’m not eligible for the medical treatment to fix it.
“What’s the go deadset person struggles to sleep at night and puts bums on seats for yas and you wanna just throw a person to the kirb (sic) once they are retired. Absolute joke.”
He then wrote: “Surely I can be compensated for ruining my face. This wouldn’t have happened if I just played for ya local footy team. You think this came from walking in the park on an afternoon @rlplayers @arlkangaroos @nrl @nswblues.”
The likes of current stars Josh Addo-Carr and Latrell Mitchell, as well as former players Andrew Fifita, Terrence Seu Seu and Sandor Earl have voiced their support on social media.
Mitchell posted: “Regardless of how long you’re out of the game, you should be compensated for your dedication … @blakeferguson23 What I’ve witnessed as a young fulla coming in to a system with you bred showed a lot of professionalism! Love ya bra. Bums in seats for a game that forgets their biggest assets.”
Ferguson won a premiership with the Roosters in 2018 after stints at Cronulla and Canberra before finishing his NRL career with a three-year stint at Parramatta.
He scored 126 tries and was a crowd-pleaser with his post-try celebrations, including backflips from a standing start in the in-goal area.
Fergson’s post comes after the Rugby League Players Association pushed strongly in the latest pay negotiations to include longer-term medical support fund for players following their retirement.
Ferguson’s case would likely fit into that, with the RLPA believing his circumstances are an example of why the fund needs to exist to help players injured in the NRL or NRLW.
The need for the fund has been agreed to in principle in negotiations with the NRL but the scope, eligibility and funding still needs to be worked through.
The full collective bargaining agreement will also need to be finalised before anything is enacted.
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