Ferguson debuts for Saints

Ferguson has been upgraded from the Saints’ rookie list in place of Daniel Markworth who will miss a large part of this season with a serious knee injury.

The 194cm defender was ecstatic with his promotion after being told by mentor Jason Blake.

“On Thursday night Jason Blake gave me a call and told me I was playing this week. He gave me some words of wisdom,” Ferguson told Saints.com.au

“It was pretty exciting news and I couldn’t believe it to be honest.

“He’s just told me to back myself in, play my style of footy and not let the occasion get the best of me.”

Ferguson is considered a late bloomer compared to other AFL players after he started playing the game at 14-years-old.

In 2008, at age 16, Ferguson was signed by St Kilda as part of the NSW Scholarship Program. The program would see the NSW/ACT junior talent train under the guidance of the St Kilda football department while still living in Sydney.

Ferguson was chosen to represent the NSW/ACT Rams at the NAB AFL Under-18 National Championships where he continued to improve.

At 18 Ferguson was able to be listed as St Kilda as a priority selection in the 2010 national draft due to his scholarship and was chosen as pick 72.

Ferguson has spent the past two years playing for St Kilda feeder club Sandringham in the VFL.

He has displayed great skills and leadership for the club which earned him a place in the top five for Sandringham’s Best and Fairest in 2012.

St Kilda coach Scott Watters praised Ferguson, as well as the club’s development staff, for his elevation and progress.

“Jackson’s selection is a tribute to our recruiting team and the work of our development staff,” Watters told Saints.com.au.

“He only started playing the game at 14 years of age and his improvement over the past 24 months has been a positive.”

The club’s 1560th player experienced a tough AFL initiation as the Kangaroos demolished the Saints by 68 points.