Blake Ferguson celebrates one of his two tries against the Storm. Source: Getty Images
BLAKE Ferguson has Greg Inglis's talents and abilities.
But sadly that's where the similarities end, in talent and ability. You see, Greg Inglis is a man who has taken responsibility for his God given talents, while Ferguson seems to take his for granted.
Inglis is a man South Sydney have successfully built their team around and, for that matter, the club's future.
Meanwhile, the Canberra Raiders remain hopeful that Ferguson will be the player they can build their young squad upon one day.
They took a punt last Tuesday and signed Blake to an extended contract, quite remarkable when you consider two months ago he was almost sacked for drinking Bacardi Breezers with Josh Dugan on a rooftop instead of turning up to training with his teammates after a round-one loss to Penrith.
Josh Dugan was given the flick, Blake Ferguson's teammates saved him. From the outside it was hard to work out why they would.
But the Raiders' senior players told coach David Furner and the Canberra board they wanted Ferguson to stay because he trained tough and played tough and they respected him.
There's no bigger compliment.
Before the match in Melbourne last Saturday night, Ferguson was hooting, hollering and pumping up his Raiders teammates in the warm-up.
I saw him talking confidently, grabbing and encouraging less experienced teammates.
At that point I started to understand why the Canberra players wanted to save him despite his past mistakes; he is a team man. His confidence and energy just bled through the Raiders.
And then with his first touch of the ball he attacked the Storm with little regard for reputation. He was absolutely outstanding for the full 80 minutes in the season's biggest upset.
After the game, when interviewed by Mark Gasnier he handled himself with just as much class. Gone was the brash upstart who would use phrases like, "Yeah, it's all good."
Instead, he showed genuine humility by stating: "At the moment I'm working really hard off the field and trying to be good."
I get the feeling that Blake Ferguson has recognised and appreciates that his teammates saved his career. At the moment, he's repaying them nicely.
At last, Ferguson seems to be taking responsibility for his immense talent. But words are cheap, particularly when caught up in the emotion of a big win.
Like the blokes who tell us, "This is my year," every January. And say, "I've never worked harder." Then the offer of a beer comes along and all promises are off.
A teammate at Newcastle, back in the day, insisted one year that a month out from the finals the whole team must abstain from alcohol "until we do the grand final victory lap".
We didn't think it was a great idea. However, the passion and energy in which he spoke gave us no choice but to go along with the plan.
Two days later he turned up late for training after a big night on the turps.
He argued: "A month out from the finals is too much."
Ferguson owes it to himself and his club to back up his words with actions and do it for the long haul.
He's squandered far too much of his career already.
Trying to be good sounds so simple, but when you develop bad habits, they are extremely difficult to break. Like not having to go for a beer after an emotional win or a heartbreaking loss.
You realise all good intentions and self-imposed safety barriers suddenly evaporate at the bottom of your fourth beer. I know, I've been there.
You need the discipline to go home and rest even though adrenaline is charging through your body after a big game.
To say "no thanks" when a teammate offers you just one beer.
Those things are extremely difficult but the rewards are worth it.
Ferguson, by now, should be an automatic selection for Laurie Daley's Origin side.
Instead, Laurie is wondering, "Can I trust him?"
But opportunity knocks for Ferguson.
Injuries have Daley looking for outside backs for game one and if Ferguson can hold the form he showed against Melbourne Storm last week, Daley will find it nigh on impossible to leave him out.
In the meantime, Blake, just try to be good.
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