Ferres rewarded with England call by former boss McNamara

The Huddersfield Giants second-row was an aspiring 20-year-old making his way at Bradford Bulls in 2006 when McNamara made the tough decision to use him as a makeweight in a six-figure deal to sign highly-coveted Kiwi star David Solomona from Wakefield Trinity Wildcats.

It was difficult to comprehend for a young player who at the start of that season had won the World Club Challenge and envisaged forging a successful career with the then Super League champions.

However, after knuckling down at Belle Vue, then developing more obviously at hometown Castleford Tigers before, most impressively of all, in the last 10 months at his fourth West Yorkshire club, it is now Ferres himself being bracketed as one of the competition’s most dangerous forwards.

Though not making McNamara’s 30-man elite training squad in March, he had been on the coach’s radar for some time and is the only player outside of that ETS to force his way into a 20-man group primed to face the Exiles at Warrington a week on Friday.

Ferres’s outstanding form which has helped drive Huddersfield up to second in Super League and to the Challenge Cup quarter-finals certainly merits that inclusion.

As a back-row only Wigan’s Liam Farrell, who he is likely to partner in the Exiles game, has been involved in more than his total of 15 tries (scored and assisted) this season and his rangy running style has created havoc for countless defences.

Talking to the Yorkshire Post, Ferres insists he has never felt the urge to prove McNamara wrong.

“I’ve never held any grudges against Steve,” he said, having joined Huddersfield club colleagues Eorl Crabtree and Leroy Cudjoe in the England set-up but, of course, not Danny Brough.

“He was really invaluable to me in my junior career at Bradford when he was the Under-20s coach at the time.

“Steve kept pushing me forward to Brian Noble to play in the first team and helped me get that opportunity.

“I really enjoyed those two years playing Super League there but, later on, after Steve took over, they wanted to sign a big name and Dave Solomona came in.

“I probably wouldn’t have played half the games I did if I’d have stayed and going to Wakefield was a good chance for first-team football.

“I did find it hard to take, don’t get me wrong, but looking back it was probably the best thing to happen and I’m in a real happy place now. It was also a tough decision to leave Castleford last July as they are my hometown club, I still live there and have a real affection for them but coming here to Huddersfield was right for me.

“(Coach) Paul Anderson has really backed me, found a role for me in the team and he’s kicked me on again.

“The conditioning staff also worked me really hard in pre-season which was the first I’ve had for a while.

“I’m really reaping the rewards of that now and the main thing is I’m enjoying my rugby.

“I’m lucky enough to play with some fantastic players at Huddersfield and they have made it easier for myself.”

The England squad, which will be reduced to 17 next Wednesday, includes 15 players who were involved in the autumn international series final victory over France last November.

That demonstrates the faith McNamara has shown in the bulk of his contingent as he prepares for the World Cup in October and how tough it is to break in.

“I didn’t get any wind of it until I got a phone call from Steve at 8.30 this morning (Tuesday),” explained 27-year-old Ferres on hearing the news. “I wasn’t put off by not being selected in March. It’s a long year and form and injuries all play a big part.

“I think it was about biding my time and being consistent, not just playing two or three big games at the start of the year, getting in and then thinking you’ve done enough.

“I’m really glad to be part of this England squad and if I get a chance to play next week I’ll grab it with both hands. I know I’ll have to as this is the big one; there is only one Exiles game this year.”

Aside from Brough, the effervescent Huddersfield scrum-half who most people hoped would be included but ruled himself out after a dispute with McNamara, the most notable omission is that of Hull FC winger Tom Briscoe.

It appears Wigan’s Josh Charnley is now firmly ahead of him in the pecking order while Wigan hooker Michael McIlorum misses out due to injury along with Leeds trio Kallum Watkins, Danny McGuire and Carl Ablett plus Hull second-row Danny Tickle.

In-form Huddersfield hooker Shaun Lunt can feel unlucky not to be given a similar promotion as Ferres given McIlorum’s absence and especially as McNamara has instead plumped for regular nine James Roby who only made his return from a long lay-off in St Helens’ 25-16 defeat at Giants on Monday night.

England squad

R Burrow (Leeds), J Charnley (Wigan), R Chase (Castleford), E Crabtree (Huddersfield), L Cudjoe (Huddersfield), G Ellis (Hull), L Farrell (Wigan), B Ferres (Huddersfield), R Hall (Leeds), Z Hardaker (Leeds), C Hill (Warrington), J Jones-Buchanan (Leeds), A Morley (Warrington), L Mossop (Wigan), R Myler (Warrington), S O’Loughlin (Wigan), J Roby (St Helens), K Sinfield (Leeds, capt), S Tomkins (Wigan), B Westwood (Warrington).