Footballers take a variety of unique paths to become AFL players and 18 year old St Kilda rookie Jackson Ferguson is one such example.

Growing up in rugby heartland, New South Wales, Ferguson bucked the trend initially by playing soccer as a youth before turning to Australian rules football.

“I actually started off playing soccer and then got sick of it. My mum wouldn’t let me play Rugby League so I then tried AFL and picked it up straight away,” said Ferguson.

“AFL is an interesting set-up in Sydney, there are a lot of Clubs, but they are spread out over such a wide area. a….tThere aren’t that many people who play the game so it’s not very dense.”

Ferguson’s journey to the St Kilda Football Club began when he was spotted by scouts at a state carnival in Sydney and was approached two weeks later.

“About two weeks after the carnival St Kilda called me, and a bunch of other AFL Clubs called me as well, offering me scholarships,” he said.

“Danny Ryan, current St Kilda Player Development Manager at the Saints, was actually my coach at the time [in Sydney] and he was working as a scout for the Club; because I knew Danny I decided to go to the Saints.”

Aged just 16, Ferguson began his scholarship with the Saints, travelling to Melbourne during school holidays to train with the team.

“I didn’t have to move down to Melbourne. I came down during school holidays to train with the guys and whenever I had other breaks to train with the guys.”

“It was great and I began to get a real feel for it,” said Ferguson.

After starting his scholarship program in 2008, Ferguson was taken in the 2011 Rookie Draft and is continually developing as a footballer.

The 194cm talent played his first senior game for Sandringham in the VFL last weekend and impressed, collecting 16 disposals and was named in the best players in the side’s victory over Frankston.

The promising eastern state recruit outlined that he sees himself as a versatile player who can fill a variety of roles.

“I see myself as a defender, who can also play forward, …but I can play a number of roles.”

“I can play as a key defender on talls, but last weekend I was running off half-back,” said Ferguson.

At just 18 years of age Ferguson still has plenty of development ahead of him, but be sure to keep a close eye on this promising and unique recruit.