EXCLUSIVE: Sterlo identifies crippling flaw in Parramatta Eels star Blake Ferguson
By Melanie Dinjaski - 17 hours agoParramatta Eels legend Peter Sterling has called out one of the club's biggest names for a major defensive flaw.
Sterling pointed out the defensive failings of Blake Ferguson in recent games for the Eels, where Parramatta have leaked tries.
Last week in his Wide World of Sports' Sterlo's Wrap, Sterling noted that in the Eels' 24-10 loss to the Roosters that their right flank was 'the problem side for Parramatta defensively', and it seems that continued in round seven, with Ferguson one of the weakest links.
In reviewing the resurgent club's gutsy 25-24 golden point victory over the Canberra Raiders, Sterling identified how Ferguson was letting down the team.
"I don't want to be appearing to pick on Blake Ferguson but Blake needs to address where he is standing on last tackles when the opposition have the football," he said in Sterlo's Wrap this week.
Mitchell Moses and Blake Ferguson of the Eels looks dejected after the Roosters scored a try (Getty)"On two occasions on the weekend ... he's not even in shot.
"[In Elliot Whitehead's try for Canberra] he's standing too deep.
"He's still going back, he's telling the opposition to run. And by standing so deep it allows the inside support players to get in good positions, and they score there."
In another moment right before half-time where Canberra threatened to score down that same wing, Sterling noted Ferguson once again out of shot, very deep, just out from the try line.
"Blake has got to be 10 metres closer, because if you're 10 metres closer, you're far enough up to get in your winger's face if they do run the football, or if they do kick it you're still in a good position to get back and cover that," Sterling said.
Parramatta Eels look to bounce back against the stuttering Canberra Raiders in round 7 of the 2020 NRL Premiership."If [Eels five-eighth] Dylan Brown hadn't come from the other side of the field, they score there, it's 18-6.
"So Blake, yes you've got to address last tackle plays against the opposition, but you can't be that far back as a winger.
"Just a little thing there that defensively the Eels need to work on. "
Replies
Couldnt agree more. Sides are running more on last tackles so the risk are high. This creates issues with Waqa and leads to indecision. Just wish Sterlo hadnt told the world of our obvious weakness LOL
the world already knew this
ditto.
No doubt the world already knew this, but does Sterlo normally single players out players by name publicly like this though? I don’t watch that show maybe he does, but if not, why wouldn’t he just do so in the normal manner club legends would approach it.
sorry I don’t like it.
theres tonnes of stuff over the years that he could’ve bought into, I get that. But for example did he make mention of any of the glaringly obvious bad decisions we were on the bad end of esp roosters and raiders forward passes that he could make a small mention of.
Usually sterlo goes missing (even when others call them out) and he over compensates for his blue and gold glasses - to the absolute extreme in things like that.
I think it's great, Sterlos watched Ferguson heaps, and wants him to be better. It can only help us if he "Fergo" and the parra coaches fix the damn problem, while there at it, someone teach Waqa how to defend and slide as well please.
It's an easy fix that's why sterlo has raised it. I still think Fergo is a very sound defensive winger and makes good decisions especially on the line and effective contact.
Could be blessing in disguise , teams may start targeting it and if Ba and team fix it they will waste time attacking that area
sterlo pick up the phone and do it in provate champion
Spot on Adnan.