Allana Ferguson

Allana Ferguson
Born (1993-05-22) 22 May 1993 (age 31)[1][2]
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation(s)sports commentator; teacher
Known forcompeting as a professional rugby league player
TelevisionNine's Wide World of Sports, The Sunday Footy Show

Allana Ferguson (born 22 May 1993) is an Australian sports commentator and former professional rugby league and rugby union player. Ferguson is also famous for her contribution in her former work with Australian mining company SANTOS.

Ferguson was one of the first women in Australia to sign a professional playing contract with the National Rugby League, and advocated for the establishment of the NRL Women's Premiership.[3]

Career

Playing career

Ferguson began playing rugby league at the age of four, but as a girl was required to stop when she reached the under 12's age group with girls not being permitted to compete again until the age of 17.[3][4] In 2016, Ferguson praised the introduction of two new age divisions which enables teenage girls to continue to play rugby league in Under 14's and Under 16's divisions.[4]

In 2013, Ferguson represented Australia in Rugby Sevens before her switch to rugby league.[4]

Playing at five-eighth, Ferguson represented New South Wales in the Women's Interstate Challenge series in 2015 and 2016.[3] She made her debut for the Australian Jillaroos at the 2016 NRL Auckland Nines.[4]

In August 2016, Ferguson was named in the Cronulla Sharks' Nines squad for the local derby against the St. George Illawarra Dragons, which was used as the curtain raiser to an NRL game at Shark Park.[5] She was subsequently signed by the Sharks for the club's 2017 women's season.[6]

At the age of 25 in 2018, Ferguson tore her left ACL for the fourth time, having already torn the same ligament at the ages of 15, 17 and 20.[7] On medical advice, she retired from rugby league.[7]

Media career

Since retirement, Ferguson has been a rugby league and rugby union commentator for various media outlets, including Nine's Wide World of Sports and 2GB's Continuous Call Team.[8][9] Ferguson has been a regular panel member on The Sunday Footy Show since 2018.[10]

Ferguson first made her television debut in 2006 at the age of 13 when she was interviewed by Steve Jacobs on Nine's breakfast program Today about not being able to play rugby league as a teenage girl.[11]

In March 2023, Ferguson was listed at #35 on The Sydney Morning Herald's list of the Top 50 Most Influential Women in Sport.[12]

Personal life

After undergoing IVF treatment, Ferguson now has two children.[13][14]

References

  1. ^ Stanton, Tanisha (6 March 2018). "Ferguson looks to new career after retiring from Jillaroos". NRL.com. Retrieved 20 May 2024. the 25-year-old said her most treasured memories were...
  2. ^ "A huge happy birthday to our very own Allana Ferguson". NRL on Nine. 22 May 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  3. ^ a b c "Allana Ferguson Wants The NRL To Create A Women's Rugby League Comp". Women's Health. 12 September 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d Bryan, Andrew (18 April 2024). "Big step for women's game". NRL.com. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  5. ^ "NRL Women's 9s Team List: Sharks v Dragons". Sharks. 23 August 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  6. ^ "Jillaroos rep Ferguson signs on with the Sharks". Sharks. 21 November 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  7. ^ a b Arnold, Rikki-Lee (4 March 2018). "Jillaroos star Allana Ferguson forced into retirement after tearing ACL for fourth time". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
  8. ^ Phillips, Sam (5 January 2021). "Nine targets Ferguson, SBW in search for star rugby talent". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  9. ^ "Allana Ferguson 'pumped' to join CCT". 2GB. 17 September 2022. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  10. ^ MacDougall, Adam (18 March 2018). "How Jillaroos star Allana Ferguson keeps fit without training with a team". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 May 2024. The former league star will now turn her attention to television, appearing on The Sunday Footy Show on Channel Nine, as well as putting her expertise and game-reading ability to work as a sideline-eye for the Intrust Super Premiership.
  11. ^ Kelly, Roz (18 May 2024). "Wide World of Sports (Episode 11, 2024): From the vault (time stamp: 00:07:12)". TCN-9. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  12. ^ Saltau, Chloe; Boney, Brooke (5 March 2023). "The Most Influential Women in Australian Sport: 40 to 31". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 19 May 2024. A dual international, who played both rugby league and rugby union for Australia before retiring, Ferguson is now one of the leading female sports commentators. Highly versatile, knowledgeable and articulate, Ferguson works for both Nine and Stan Sport on NRL, Super Rugby and Wallabies games. She also appears weekly on the rugby league version of Nine's Sunday Footy Show and is a strong voice for female athletes, helping to drive the transition for the next generation.
  13. ^ Kharoufeh, Nikolina (1 February 2022). "Allana Ferguson reveals she had to take a break from IVF". 9Honey. Retrieved 20 May 2024.
  14. ^ "Get ready with Allana Ferguson and her daughter". 9Honey. 5 November 2023. Retrieved 20 May 2024. As mum to two beautiful kids ...