St George Illawarra back rower Jackson Ford has signed a two-year deal with the Vodafone Warriors until the end of the 2024 NRL season.
The 24-year-old Ford has banked almost 100 NRL and New South Wales Cup appearances for the Dragons in the last five seasons.
“We’re thrilled to secure Jackson as we look towards relaunching the club at home in 2023,” said Vodafone Warriors CEO Cameron George.
“He’ll add quality to our back row resources and will also bring valuable experience at both NRL and New South Wales Cup levels providing greater depth to our squad.”
Ford made his NRL debut in 2019, the same season he was named in the New South Wales Cup team of the year and won St George Illawarra’s NSW Cup player of the year award.
He has gone on to play a total of 33 first-grade games – none of them against the Vodafone Warriors – while adding 65 appearances in the New South Wales Cup.
Splitting his NRL games between the bench and the starting line-up, Ford has averaged 77 metres and 25 tackles a game.
In his 16 New South Wales Cup games for the Dragons this year, he averaged 127 metres and 28 tackles a game and boasted an impressive 62 tackle breaks including 10 against the Raiders in round 20.
Across his 65 reserve grade outings Ford has scored 24 tries, averaging 132 metres and 31 tackles a game with a total of 23 line breaks, 237 tackle breaks and 51 off loads.
JACKSON FORD |
|
|---|---|
| Date of birth | February 17, 1998 |
| Birthplace | Shellhabour, NSW |
| Junior club | Gerringong Lions |
| Position | Second row |
| Height | 187cm |
| Weight | 95kg |
| Previous clubs | St George Illawarra Dragons (2019-2022) |
| NRL debut | St George Illawarra Dragons v Gold Coast Titans, Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, Sydney, August 10, 2019 (Rd 21) |
| NRL career | 33 appearances for St George Illawarra Dragons (2019-2022) |
| NRL points | 8 (2 tries) |
| New South Wales Cup career | 65 appearances for St George Illawarra Dragons (2018-2022) |
| New South Wales Cup points | 96 (24 tries) |
| Representative | NRL Nines (2020) |
