Blake Ayshford

[TheLoneRooster]

They just said on Ch9 that he is an "Eastern Suburbs junior" - if that is the case, why isn't he a Rooster?

[Chook Norris]

yer that's true.. from Paddington i believe, like Cherro.

Dunno? guess he went through the tiger's system?

[Guest]

Blake Ayshford (born 15 April 1988) is an Australian professional rugby league player for the Wests Tigers in the Australian NRL competition. He can play at lock or centre.

Ayshford played junior football with the Paddington-Woollahra Tigers, representing the Junior Kangaroos in 2007 & New South Wales at an under 17s and under 19s level. In 2006 he played for Endeavour Sports High when they won the Arrive Alive Cup. [1]

Before joining the Tigers, Ayshford was in lower grades with the Sydney Roosters. In 2008, he was named the Player's Player of the Year in the Wests Tigers' NYC side. [2]

In June 2009, it was announced that Ayshford had signed a two-year contract to remain with the Tigers until the end of the 2011 season. [3] Later that year he signed an extension to the end of the 2012 season.[4]

At the end of the 2009 season, Ayshford was named the Wests Tigers Rookie of the Year. [5]

[Guest]

He played lock with us and only converted to centre at the Tigers

[Rooster_6]

yer that's true.. from Paddington i believe, like Cherro.

Dunno? guess he went through the tiger's system?

Inded, Cherro and him are very good mates.

He re-signed to a 2 year deal with the Tigers last year so we'll have to wait a while if we're going to ever get him back...

If he put on a bit of weight certainly looks like he could play in the backrow.

[stephenj]

his elder brother bruce was a fg 5/8 at easts, the ayshfords lived in renny street paddington, nice family!

[TheLoneRooster]

Thanks for all the responses to my original post. It just seems odd to me that here is a junior who is pretty good and he slips through the cracks. It isn't like, as opposition supporters enjoy pointing out, that the Roosters produce many juniors so when one comes along who can actually play, he ends up at the Tigers !?!?!?!?

[Guest]

It's definitely a shame we lost him. I think you'll find he is related to the Tigers recruitment manager Warren McDonnell (father of Shannon McDonnell who is now fullback at the Knights) and had a hand at getting him over there.