{{Short description|Australian rugby league footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}} {{Use Australian English|date=July 2013}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Blake Ayshford |fullname = Blake Ayshford |image = Blake Ayshford Cronulla Sharks.jpg |image_size = |caption = |birth_date = {{birth date and age|1988|04|15|df=yes}} |birth_place = Paddington, New South Wales, Australia |height = {{convert|190|cm|ftin|abbr=on}} |weight = {{convert|98|kg|stlb|abbr=on}} |country = |position = {{rlp|CE|LK}} |club1 = Wests Tigers |year1start = 2009 |year1end = 13 |appearances1 = 104 |tries1 = 33 |goals1 = 0 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 132 |club2 = {{nowrap|Cronulla Sharks}} |year2start = 2014 |year2end = 15 |appearances2 = 20 |tries2 = 1 |goals2 = 0 |fieldgoals2 = 0 |points2 = 4 |club3 = New Zealand Warriors |year3start = 2016 |year3end = 19 |appearances3 = 50 |tries3 = 13 |goals3 = 0 |fieldgoals3 = 0 |points3 = 52 |retired = yes |source = <ref>[http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/player-profile?playerid=109732&teamid=3400 League Central] ''dailytelegraph.com.au''</ref><ref>[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/blake-ayshford/summary.html Blake Ayshford] ''rugbyleagueproject.org''</ref> |updated = 21 September 2019 | module = {{infobox person | embed = yes | father = | mother = | spouse = | education = Endeavour Sports High School | alma_mater = | relatives = Bruce Ayshford (uncle) }} }}
'''Blake Ayshford''' (born 15 April 1988) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played as a {{rlp|ce}} in the 2000s and 2010s.
He played for the Wests Tigers, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and New Zealand Warriors in the NRL.
==Background== Ayshford played his junior football with the Paddington-Woollahra Tigers and Coogee Randwick Wombats, representing the 2007 Junior Kangaroos & New South Wales at an under 17s and under 19s level. In 2006 he played for Endeavour Sports High School when they won the Arrive Alive Cup.<ref>{{cite web|title=Endeavour Retains Arrive Alive Cup|url=http://www.nswrl.net/article.php?id=181|access-date=2009-05-30|website=www.nswrl.net}}{{dead link|date=July 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
Blake's uncle, Bruce, played for Easts in 1969.<ref name="smh 2010" /> He is of Irish descent<ref>{{cite web|url=https://au.sports.yahoo.com/league/a/34923753/7th-tackle-luke-keary-in-line-for-world-cup-gig-with-ireland/ |title=Luke Keary in line for World Cup gig with Ireland |publisher=Yahoo |date=6 April 2017 |access-date=6 April 2017}}</ref>
==Playing career== Ayshford played in the junior grades with the Sydney Roosters, before signing with the Wests Tigers.
===Wests Tigers=== Ayshford played for the Tigers' NYC side where, in 2008, he was named the Player's Player of the Year.<ref>{{cite web|title=Tigers re-sign Ayshford|url=http://sportsaustralia.com/articles/news.php?id=5630|access-date=2009-06-25|publisher=SportsAustralia.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716122049/http://sportsaustralia.com/articles/news.php?id=5630|archive-date=16 July 2011}}</ref>
He made his first grade debut in Round 11 of the 2009 NRL season, playing against the Brisbane Broncos on 22 May.<ref>{{cite news|author=James Phelps|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|title=Brisbane Broncos beat Wests Tigers|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/nrl/story/0,26799,25524529-5012658,00.html|access-date=2009-05-23| date=22 May 2009}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|title=Tigers secure Blake Ayshford|url=http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/nrl/story/0,26799,25616342-5012658,00.html|access-date=2009-06-13| date=10 June 2009}}</ref> Later that year he signed an extension to the end of the 2012 season.<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=Daily Telegraph (Sydney)|title=Tigers sign extended deals for trio|url=http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/tigers-sign-extended-deals-for-trio/story-e6frexnr-1225799676260|access-date=19 November 2009|date=19 November 2009}}</ref> At the end of the 2009 season, Ayshford was named the Wests Tigers' Rookie of the Year.<ref>{{cite web|title=ELLIS NAMED PLAYER OF THE YEAR|author=Wayne Cousins|url=http://www.weststigers.com.au/default.aspx?s=article-display&id=20613&ellis-named-player-of-the-year|access-date=1 November 2009|website=weststigers.com.au|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110706113931/http://www.weststigers.com.au/default.aspx?s=article-display&id=20613&ellis-named-player-of-the-year|archive-date=6 July 2011}}</ref>
Ayshford cemented his position in the centres in 2010. After his form dipped, the threat of being dropped saw an improved performance towards the end of the season.<ref name="smh 2010">{{cite news|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |title=After catching Sheens' eye, young Ayshford is now kept on his toes|author=Glenn Jackson|url=http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/after-catching-sheens-eye-young-ayshford-is-now-kept-on-his-toes-20100902-14rr3.html|access-date=1 October 2010|date=3 September 2010}}</ref> Before the start of the 2011 season, Ricky Stuart named Ayshford in a "Blues in Waiting" squad, for potential future NSW State of Origin players.<ref>{{cite news|work=ABC News|title=Stuart names 'Blues in waiting' |url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/01/13/3112075.htm?site=sydney|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121112124215/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/01/13/3112075.htm?site=sydney|url-status=dead|archive-date=12 November 2012|access-date=29 March 2011|date=13 January 2011}}</ref> thumb|left|Blake Ayshford playing for Balmain In May 2011, Ayshford committed himself to the Wests Tigers for a further 3 years, keeping him at the club until 2015.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ayshford commits future to Tigers|author=Mute|url=http://www.zerotackle.com.au/ayshford-commits-future-tigers-2091/|access-date=19 May 2011| website=zerotackle.com.au}}</ref> He played in every game of the 2011 season, scoring 11 tries, and was named the Wests Tigers Members Player of the Year.<ref name="ozzie">{{cite news|publisher=Ozzie News|title=Gareth Ellis is Wests Tigers Player of the Year|url=http://www.ozzienews.com/sport/gareth-ellis-is-wests-tigers-player-of-the-year/|access-date=3 January 2012|date=17 October 2011}}</ref>
Having "bulked-up" for the 2012 season, Ayshford said, "People say it's hard to adjust to playing with extra weight but I feel stronger and fitter when I'm weighing more. It just gives me a bit of confidence to know that I'm playing over 100 kilos."<ref>{{cite news|author=Joe Barton|work=Herald Sun|title=Bulked-up Wests Tigers centre Blake Ayshford rules out switch to forwards|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/bulked-up-wests-tigers-centre-blake-ayshford-rules-out-switch-to-forwards/story-e6frfgbo-1226217240836|access-date=4 September 2012|date=8 December 2011}}</ref> However, 2012 was a relative disappointment, with Ayshford playing from the bench in some games, and scoring a career-low 4 tries. Ayshford later said, "It was the first year I've been on the bench, first time in my life starting on the bench actually. I let myself down in certain areas."<ref>{{cite news|author=Scott Dougherty|work=Campbelltown Macarthur Advertiser|title=Ayshford wants No.3 jersey back|url=http://www.macarthuradvertiser.com.au/story/1343170/ayshford-wants-no3-jersey-back/?cs=1563|access-date=2 March 2014|date=5 March 2013}}</ref>
2013 was another disappointing season for Ayshford, with just two tries and four wins from his sixteen appearances. On 12 July 2013 it was announced that Ayshford would be joining the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks on a two-year contract from 2014.<ref>{{cite news|work=Zero Tackle|title=SHARKS SIGN AYSHFORD ON TWO-YEAR DEAL|url=http://www.zerotackle.com/nrl/sharks-sign-ayshford-on-two-year-deal-10367/|access-date=1 March 2014|date=12 July 2013}}</ref>
===Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks=== In Round 1 of the 2014 NRL season against the Gold Coast Titans, Ayshford made his club debut for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks at centre in the Sharks 18–12 loss at Remondis Stadium. Ayshford made 16 appearances for Cronulla-Sutherland in his first year at the club as they endured one of their worst seasons finishing last.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/au/other-sports/list/the-worst-teams-in-nrl-history-newcastle-knights-rugby-league-wooden-spoon-parramatta-eels-salary-cap-semi-radradra-kieran-foran/1k2c6o18od8431jen234fqd91u/4/|title=The worst teams in NRL history|website=Sporting News}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/08/23/legend-qa-blake-ayshford/|title=Blake Ayshford Legend Q&A|website=www.nrl.com|date=23 August 2020 }}</ref>
===New Zealand Warriors=== In September 2015 Ayshford signed for the New Zealand Warriors for the 2016 and 2017 seasons.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.nzherald.co.nz/league/news/article.cfm?c_id=79&objectid=11512914| title=Warriors sign Sharks centre| newspaper=The New Zealand Herald | date=14 September 2015| access-date=15 September 2015}}</ref>
In June 2017, Ayshford signed a further two-year contract, committing both parties until the end of the 2019 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.warriors.kiwi/news/2017/06/12/_signings_new_deals_.html|title=[Signings] New deals for six|first=NRL Digital|last=Media|date=13 June 2017 |access-date=9 December 2018}}</ref>
In Round 19 of the 2019 NRL season against Parramatta, Ayshford was famously palmed off by Parramatta player Maika Sivo on his way to the try line. Fox Sports commentator Andrew Voss said of Sivo's fend on Ayshford "If you can get a charge for palming blokes in the sternum, Sivo’s looking at 10 weeks",. On 2 August 2019, Ayshford announced that he would be retiring at the end of the 2019 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/teams/eels/semi-who-superhuman-eels-winger-maika-sivo-monsters-warrior-blake-ayshford/news-story/752ccea597785ad52a2c7aa8e254b1cf/|title=Semi who? 'Superhuman' Eels winger Maika Sivo monsters Warrior Blake Ayshford|website=Fox Sports|date=27 July 2019 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sportingnews.com/au/league/news/new-zealand-warriors-journeyman-blake-ayshford-to-retire-at-end-of-2019-season/1ej0ss5545xg913aba2w4ug8yj/|title=New Zealand Warriors journeyman Blake Ayshford to retire at end of 2019 season|website=Sporting News|date=2 August 2019 }}</ref>
Ayshford's final game as a player came against Canberra at Canberra Stadium in round 25 of the 2019 NRL season which New Zealand won 24–20.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12265757/|title=New Zealand Warriors beat Canberra Raiders in final NRL game for 2019|website=The New Zealand Herald }}</ref>
==Footnotes== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{commons category}} *[https://www.warriors.kiwi/teams/telstra-premiership/warriors/blake-ayshford/ New Zealand Warriors profile] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20161027003749/http://www.warriors.kiwi/team/profiles/blake_ayshford.html Warriors profile] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20110706113807/http://www.weststigers.com.au/default.aspx?s=player-profile-display&id=213&team=Wests+Tigers Blake Ayshford at ''Wests Tigers''] *[https://web.archive.org/web/20120405070149/http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/teamid/3/playerid/16976/season/2009/blakeayshford/default.aspx Blake Ayshford at NRL.com]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ayshford, Blake}} Category:1988 births Category:Living people Category:Australian people of Irish descent Category:Australian rugby league players Category:Balmain Ryde-Eastwood Tigers players Category:Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks players Category:New Zealand Warriors players Category:Newtown Jets NSW Cup players Category:People educated at Endeavour Sports High School Category:Rugby league centres Category:Rugby league five-eighths Category:Rugby league locks Category:Rugby league players from Sydney Category:Wests Tigers players Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen