John Ferguson

  • Playing Career

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Nickname(s)
Chicka
Born
Thursday, 15th July, 1954
Current Age
69 years and 258 days
Place Of Birth
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Awards & Accolades

Dally M Winger Of The Year
1985, 1988

Biography

Durable winger defied the years during a long career that ultimately brought back-to-back grand final wins with the Raiders in 1989-90. Ferguson represented Country Seconds as a 23-year-old from Glenn Innes in 1977 and was lured to Newtown two years later. He played on the wing in the club’s 1981 grand final loss to P’matta but moved to Easts following the Jets' demise in 1983. Turning to England Ferguson scored two tries in Wigan's Wembley Cup final win in 1985. After debuting for NSW that year, he played in three Tests on the Australian tour of NZ. It was with his efforts playing for Canberra in the late 1980s that Ferguson confirmed his reputation as one of the quickest and most elusive wingers in the game. After recovering from a serious knee injury which saw him miss the 1987 grand final he returned in 1988 and was the season's leading try-scorer with 20 tries. A darting, weaving run in the 1989 grand final against Balmain resulted in Ferguson scoring the try that sent the match into extra-time. When he finally retired after the club's 1990 grand final win over Penrith, 'Chicka' Ferguson was still in fine form. As a favour to former Newtown guru John Singleton he played in the club's opening match in the 1992 Metropolitan Cup competition.
- ALAN WHITICKER

Playing Career Statistics

All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player's career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.

To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.

Competitions

Competition   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NRL 200 106 -   - 399 103 88 9 51.50% List
National Panasonic Cup 5 5 -   - 15 2 3 0 40.00% List
NRL Finals 13 5 -   - 19 8 5 0 61.54% List
English Championship 16 13 -   - 52 13 3 0 81.25% List
Lancashire Cup 4 3 -   - 12 3 1 0 75.00% List
Regal Trophy 2 3 -   - 12 1 1 0 50.00% List
Challenge Cup 3 5 -   - 20 3 0 0 100.00% List
City vs Country Firsts 1 1 -   - 4 1 0 0 100.00% List
State of Origin 8 1 -   - 4 2 6 0 25.00% List
Test Series 3 - -   - - 2 1 0 66.67% List
World Cup 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
City vs Country 2 1 -   - 4 0 2 0 0.00% List
UK Second Division 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
World Club Challenge 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Tooheys Challenge Cup 4 1 -   - 4 4 0 0 100.00% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1985 3 - -   - - 2 1 0 66.67% List

World Cup Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1985 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NSW Country Seconds 1977 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
NSW 1985, 1988-89 8 1 -   - 4 2 6 0 25.00% List
NSW City Firsts 1985 1 1 -   - 4 1 0 0 100.00% List
NSW Country 1988-89 2 1 -   - 4 0 2 0 0.00% List
Overall1977-1989 12 3 0   0 12 3 9 0 25.00% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Newtown NSWRFL 1981 24 10 -   - 30 15 8 1 62.50% List
Newtown NSWRFL 1982 25 15 -   - 45 13 10 2 52.00% List
Newtown NSWRFL 1983 25 15 -   - 60 7 16 2 28.00% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRL 1984 18 10 -   - 40 5 12 1 27.78% List
Eastern Suburbs NSWRL 1985 14 6 -   - 24 6 7 1 42.86% List
Canberra NSWRL 1986 19 4 -   - 16 6 12 1 31.58% List
Canberra NSWRL 1987 2 2 -   - 8 2 0 0 100.00% List
Canberra NSWRL 1988 24 20 -   - 80 15 9 0 62.50% List
Canberra NSWRL 1989 25 11 -   - 44 17 8 0 68.00% List
Canberra NSWRL 1990 24 13 -   - 52 17 6 1 70.83% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Newtown 1981-83 74 40 -   - 135 35 34 5 47.30% List
Eastern Suburbs 1984-85 32 16 -   - 64 11 19 2 34.38% List
Canberra 1986-90 94 50 -   - 200 57 35 2 60.64% List
Overall1981-1990 200 106 0   0 399 103 88 9 51.50% List

English Career - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Wigan 1984/85 25 24 -   - 96 20 5 0 80.00% List
Carlisle 1988/89 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List

English Career - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Wigan 1984 25 24 -   - 96 20 5 0 80.00% List
Carlisle 1988 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Overall1984-1988 26 24 0   0 96 20 6 0 76.92% List

Your Say

  • Mathew Griffin
    16/03/2011

    'Chicka' was one of the best and under rated wingers the game had. He used to light up Seiffert Oval and Bruce Stadium like no one else. His ability to scoot from dummy half would have made him a revelation in the modern day game. He was also a gentleman to go with it.

  • Anonymous
    24/04/2011

    He used to light up Meade Park in Glen Innes for a few years before moving to Newtown. Incredible player!

  • Anonymous
    28/04/2011

    A great role model and a good friend.

  • Anonymous
    18/06/2011

    I remember johnny from south grafton high school, and a nicer young man you wouldnt find. He was actually very shy, but a great cross-country runner.

  • sheldon
    04/06/2012

    iv worked with chicka 08_2011 very nice bloke still see him around. still looks fit

  • Brian
    16/02/2013

    Did Chicka play with a Grafton team (I think the Ghosts) in 1974?

  • wayne[jock]essex
    04/05/2014

    NOTICE NO ONE MENTION ALL THE YEARS HE PLAYED WITH SOUTH GRAFTON REBELS PLAYED HIS UNDER 18 TEENS WOULD THEN RUN ON FOR FIRST GRADE REP GROUP 1 MANY TIMES LATE 60 to 70/s SHOULD BE ELECTED IN TO THE SOUTH GRAFT ON TEAM OF THE CENTURY AT THE 100 YEARS ANNIVERSARY AT SOUTH GRAFTON EX SERVICES CLUB 10/5/2014 EX TRAINER

  • Peter Chapman
    17/06/2014

    I was fortunate enough to call league for Channel TEN in 1989 featuring the Canberra Raiders.
    I remember one day at Seiffert Oval after he scored an amazing try down the sideline the entire crowd erupting for minutes with the chant "Chicka,Chicka"
    They loved him and I did too. Great winger and a modest gentleman.-Peter Chapman

  • John REA
    19/04/2015

    pound for pound one of the best ! loved a bacardi and coke and a very humble man and great australian, thanks Johnny for all those tries !

  • David huyton
    23/08/2015

    A fantastic player for wigan and a true gentleman off the field wish there were more like him

  • Anonymous
    20/03/2017

    Gifted winger an excitement machine .!

  • Craig Fairhurst
    14/05/2017

    wonderful player at wigan ,a pleasure to watch

  • Hewzy
    07/01/2019

    I remember “Chicka” playing for The Roosters what a great player very underrated except by those who played with or against him.. great turn of speed and try scorer thanks for the memories mate

  • Frank
    22/02/2020

    Even after all these years I remember his try at Warrington in the Challenge Cup playing along side Brett Kenny.One of my favourite Wigan Players of all time and a special person as well.

  • Anonymous
    28/03/2020

    Should have played for nsw and australia a lot more brilliant winger

  • Greg
    21/05/2023

    I was a young ball boy at Meade Park Glen Innes when Fergy as we all called him would just work his magic. Sunday afternoon with almost the whole town in attendance witnessing an absolute master of deception , scoring tries at will. I can still hear Nanna “ Give the ball to Fergy “. Johnny Ferguson energised the whole crowd . As a boy I new this man was something very special.

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Contributions: AJ Lucantonio, Rugby League Tables, Andrew Ferguson, Shawn Dollin, Paul Carter, Greg Fiveash, Alan Katzmann, Max Turner, Bill Bates

Sources: NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1989-90, Match Video, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1987-88, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1988-89, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1990-91, Irvin Saxton's Record Keepers' Club, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1985-86, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1989-90