Raiders back Ferguson to silence boos

[RNA]

Raiders back Ferguson to silence boos
8 July 2011, 7:39 pm

Canberra coach David Furner is confident  Blake Ferguson won't be unsettled on Saturday by a hostile  reception from Cronulla fans and his former teammates.

Ferguson angered Sharks supporters when he left the end of last  season, claiming he wanted to join a team with a chance of winning  an NRL  premiership.

Although he has been a standout performer for the Raiders with  10 tries this season, Ferguson's new club sit two places below the  Sharks on the ladder, prompting Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan to  question his decision this week.

However, Furner believes the winger won't be ruffled by his  return to Toyota Stadium.

'He's an ex-Cronulla player there and there is going to be a bit  of hostility toward him but I think, as a group, we need to handle  that,' Furner said.

'I sat down with Blake and spoke to him about his game.

'You don't want to take away that flair which can create a try  out of nothing but I did talk to him about control. He is  learning.'

Five-eighth Josh McCrone also backs Ferguson, and warns the  in-form Sharks, who have won their past three games, not to bother  targeting the 21-year-old with high kicks and a volley of verbal  abuse.

'It will create a good atmosphere. They had a good crowd of  around 18,000 last week and, with Fergo coming back there, it will  create a bit more interest,' McCrone said.

'I think they would be a bit silly if they targeted him with  bombs. He is one of the best catchers in the comp.

'I'd say there will be a fair bit said to him but that sort of  thing will be right down Fergo's alley.'

Both sides need to win the game to keep alive their finals'  aspirations and, like the Sharks, the 13th-placed green machine  have found some form following a dismal start to the campaign,  tasting victory in their past two outings against Parramatta and  the Sydney Roosters.

However, with a tough run of games coming up in the next two  weeks, Furner is aware of the importance of a positive result.

'Both Parramatta and the Roosters were a little bit similar to  us, down in form and maybe a little bit of confidence,' Furner  said.

'Those two wins for us have put us in a position of being  confident but Cronulla are the same.

'Over the next three weeks, we've got (the) Sharks, Melbourne  and St George so I think last week for us, as I say, is a little  bit of a curtain-raiser.

'I think we need to be better defensively.'

Source: Sky News Australia