Blake’s selfless secret in Game III decider
Brydens Lawyers NSW Blues winger Blake Ferguson concealed from his teammates in the lead-up to the Holden State of Origin decider that he was racially vilified in order to not distract their preparations to win back-to-back series.
Ferguson, who has been the latest NRL star to be a victim of online racial abuse after an attack on True Blue Latrell Mitchell within the last week, revealed it came at a pinnacle moment in his 2019 season.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Ferguson received an Instagram message saying, “I know the real reason you flew straight from Perth to Darwin,” following his Game II performance in Perth and after Parramatta’s Round 15 clash with the Canberra Raiders in the Northern Territory.
The offensive message made references to petrol sniffing, which Ferguson reported to Parramatta officials straight away who immediately commenced an investigation with the NRL Integrity Unit.
Ferguson made the decision not to go public with his experience in order to not affect the Holden State of Origin Game III decider preparations – a game where he made a crucial sideline pass to teammate James Tedesco who scored the match-winning try.
Ferguson’s case follows Mitchell, who publicly shamed his online abuser in an attempt to make online bullies accountable for their behaviour.
Mitchell has been flooded by support from within the NRL community and the NRL has launched an investigation to identify the perpetrator.