Blake Ferguson entered the NRL as one of the most exciting teenage talents to debut in years, but a series of problems with alcohol and gambling as well as a string of off the field controversies meant he never realised his potential.
The 31-year-old was arrested in Tokyo on December 30 after he allegedly bashed another man in a restaurant in Roppongi.
Police searched his belongings and allegedly found cocaine, according to local reports.
His career has been tainted by indiscretions that include indecently assaulting a woman he mistook for ‘another blonde woman’ he met that night, checking in to a rehabilitation clinic for a gambling addiction and famously drinking vodka cruisers on a roof after skipping training.
Blake Ferguson was arrested on December 30 after allegedly being caught in possession of cocaine after bashing a man in a Tokyo restaurant
Ferguson infamously skipped a training session with the Raiders in 2013 to drink vodka cruisers with Josh Dugan
Ferguson debuted for the Cronulla Sharks as a 19-year-old in 2009, becoming the club’s leading try scorer in his first season in the NRL.
He controversially walked out on the club after the 2010 season due to a clause in his contract that allowed him to leave if coach Ricky Stuart also left the team.
The exciting outside back followed Stuart to Canberra where he immediately became the Raiders’ leading try scorer, cementing his place as one of the best young players in the game.
The off the field issues started to pop up for Ferguson however, infamously skipping a training session in March, 2013 to instead drink Vodka Cruisers with Josh Dugan on the roof of his house.
That same year he was convicted of indecently assaulting a woman at 2230, a popular nightclub in Cronulla after celebrating his first selection for State of Origin.
Ferguson said he had mistaken her for ‘another blonde woman’ he had met earlier that night at Northies while partying with Dugan.
‘I always liked blonde girls because I lived in Cronulla for a long time,’ he in court in 2013.
‘I would like to say sorry to [the victim], I would never touch her in a sexual way. I’m really sorry I mistaked [sic] her for the girl I hooked up with at Northies. I would never touch a girl like that if I didn’t know them at an intimate level.’
In 2013 Ferguson was convicted of indecently assaulting a woman at 2230, a popular nightclub in Cronulla after celebrating his first selection for State of Origin
READ RELATED: Kate's spot on – forest bathing CAN make you live longer
Ferguson (pictured with mate Dugan) said he had mistaken her for ‘another blonde woman’ he had met earlier that night at Northies while partying with Dugan
Ferguson moved on to the Roosters in 2015 after serving time away from the game due to the conviction, where he was brought back into the NSW Origin fold in 2017 alongside Dugan.
The pair drove several hours to the Lennox Head Hotel just days before the third game of the series, with some present suggesting they’d embarked on an eight-hour drinking session.
Those reports were denied by members of the NSW setup but they were left out of the team the next year with coach Brad Fittler wanting to change its ‘selfish culture’.
While playing for NSW in 2017 Dugan and Ferguson drove several hours to the Lennox Head Hotel just days before the third game of the series, with some present suggesting they’d embarked on an eight-hour drinking session
Later that year he checked in to a rehabilitation centre to overcome his gambling addiction.
Ferguson moved to the Parramatta Eels in 2019 where he returned to the NSW team, setting up the winning try at the siren of the deciding game.
He had two children with then-partner Bianca Menniti, before proposing to Dominique Moraitis, heiress to her grandfather Nick’s multi-million fruit and vegetable empire.
The two have had a child together, but their relationship broke down in February last year before they were married.
He had two children with then-partner Bianca Menniti, before proposing to Dominique Moraitis (pictured), heiress to her grandfather Nick’s multi-million fruit and vegetable empire
Ferguson had no offers on the table from NRL teams so announced he was moving to Japan to play rugby union.
On December 30 he was taken by officers from the Tokyo Metropolitan Police to the Azabu police station about 6.30am on December 30.
Police detained Ferguson for allegedly beating up another man in a restaurant in Roppongi in Minato City, a popular nightclub district in Tokyo.
Officers searched the footy star’s belongings at the police station and allegedly found cocaine, according to local media.
Ferguson only signed with the NEC Green Rockets in the Japanese Top League and moved to the Land of the Rising Sun a few months earlier.
Source:
