Blake Ayshford

Blake Ayshford, born on April 15, 1988, in Paddington, New South Wales, Australia, established a professional rugby league career spanning over a decade. His early years in rugby league involved playing junior football for the Paddington-Woollahra Tigers and Coogee Randwick Wombats. He distinguished himself at a young age, representing the 2007 Junior Kangaroos and New South Wales at both under 17s and under 19s levels. In 2006, Ayshford was part of the Endeavour Sports High School team that secured the Arrive Alive Cup. He continued his development with the Sydney Roosters junior grades before signing with the Wests Tigers.

Ayshford’s professional playing career commenced with the Wests Tigers, where he played for their NYC side and was named Player’s Player of the Year in 2008. He made his first-grade debut in Round 11 of the 2009 NRL season against the Brisbane Broncos. During his tenure with the Wests Tigers from 2009 to 2013, he made 104 appearances and scored 33 tries. In 2011, he played every game of the season, scoring 11 tries, and was recognized as the Wests Tigers Members Player of the Year. Following his time with the Tigers, Ayshford signed a two-year contract with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in 2014, making 20 appearances over two seasons. In September 2015, he joined the New Zealand Warriors, where he played from 2016 to 2019, appearing in 50 games and scoring 13 tries.

After retiring from professional rugby league at the end of the 2019 NRL season, Ayshford transitioned into media and coaching. He joined Sky Sports as a reporter for the Warriors, leveraging his experience within the team to provide commentary and analysis for Warriors TV. Ayshford also became involved in coaching both men’s and women’s rugby teams. He contributes to the Marc Peard Podcast, a rugby-themed podcast that airs weekly, discussing various aspects of the sport. His post-retirement activities reflect a continued engagement with rugby league, contributing to its broadcasting and development.