Parramatta Eels new recruit Blake Ferguson has been selected in NSW Blues head coach Brad Fittler’s extended squad to take part in a training camp at the soon-to-open NSWRL Centre of Excellence on Friday 14 December.
Ferguson is one of 32 players in the squad, with Fittler naming the 19 players he used over three games who won the 2019 State of Origin series to return the Shield home for the first time since 2014 alongisde a handful of other players.
“For most of them it will be the first time we’ve seen them since after the series,” Fittler said.
“It puts a full-stop on finalising the year and getting their feedback from this year’s series, and also allows us an opportunity to look ahead for our defence of the Shield in 2019.
“It’s always beneficial to get them to spend time together. We won’t be training but having them around each other will only further strengthen the bond they formed this year.”
Ferguson will join the Blue & Gold pre-season shortly after his break following his 2018 campaign with the Sydney Roosters.
An emerging NSW Blues squad is still in the process of being finalised and will be announced in the near future for a training camp on Thursday 13 December.
NSW Blues extended training squad
Jack Bird (Brisbane Broncos)
Reagan Campbell-Gillard (Penrith Panthers)
Nathan Cleary (Penrith Panthers)
Josh Addo-Carr (Melbourne Storm)
Damien Cook (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Nick Cotric (Canberra Raiders)
Boyd Cordner (Sydney Roosters)
Angus Crichton (Sydney Roosters)
Jack De Belin (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Dale Finucane (Melbourne Storm)
Blake Ferguson (Parramatta Eels)
Tyson Frizell (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Wade Graham (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
Ryan James (Gold Coast Titans)
Josh Jackson (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
Luke Keary (Sydney Roosters)
David Klemmer (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
James Maloney (Penrith Panthers)
Jordan McLean (North Queensland Cowboys)
Latrell Mitchell (Sydney Roosters)
Cameron Murray (South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Tyrone Peachey (Gold Coast Titans)
Mitchell Pearce (Newcastle Knights)
Tevita Pangai Junior (Brisbane Broncos)
Matt Prior (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
James Roberts (Brisbane Broncos)
Tariq Sims (St George Illawarra Dragons)
James Tedesco (Sydney Roosters)
Jake Trbojevic (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)
Tom Trbojevic (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)
Paul Vaughan (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Aaron Woods (Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
