Before Christmas the Roosters and the NRL welcomed back the lovey, the model citizen, the all round nice guy (drum roll please) Blake Ferguson! Yeah! Cheehooo! Cowabunga and word to your mother.

It was the league's worst kept that the Roosters were the main contender to get Ferguson back in the league, mainly because he spent the latter stages of the year rocking the Chooks' training gear. The Roosters took it upon themselves to do whatever it took to get A$AP Ferg back in favour at NRL HQ, whether it be counselling or giving him some quality time with a talented person (not just player) Brad Fitler, the Roosters were all in. They were rewarded.

As is usually the case when a player returns to the NRL after being a silly bugger, I won't question whether Ferg should return or not. There are people who have been involved in every stage of this process and who have followed Ferguson's progress, they have made this decision so it is what it is.

The Roosters are the sort of sporting organisation who need a name. It may be Fitler, it may be Sonny Bill Williams or it may be Adrian Morley, the Chooks love signing blokes. On the surface, Ferguson fills the void left by SBW but it's much more complicated than that. Ferguson is a centre who is gangly but strong, to tackle him you've got to get past his fend with his arms being somewhere close to a few metres long. He's also got great feet meaning that he can put on a bit of footwork and take a defender on. If he's given space he's quick enough to get away from a defender as well, which when flipped to his defence gives him enough tools to defend against the many athletic beasts in the centres. I'd back Ferguson to hold his own against a Kane Linnett type who is tall, strong and athletic as well as a Konrad Hurrell type who is all power. Simply put, Ferguson is a beast and could work his way back to the top of the centre rankings in the NRL.

The issue for the Roosters is that they have the best centre pairing in rugby league after Shaun Kenny-Dowall got back on the horse and had a great Four Nations campaign. Michael Jennings is Michael Jennings - the most consistent centre in the NRL, so would you pick Fergy Ferg over either of these two?

Ferguson started on the wing with the Sharks (ah the memories), but you'd have to imagine that Ferg wouldn't get enough ball out on the wing. There's the option though of filling a wing spot as Anthony Minichello's retirement will allow Roger Tuivasa-Sheck to move from wing to fullback. That means that either SKD or Ferg could fill that wing spot or Nene Macdonald who featured a few times last season and was in the Holden Cup Team Of The Year is also in the mix.

There have been constant rumours suggesting that SKD is being shopped around, which despite his nice form in recent times makes some sense. SKD's deal with the Chooks ends after the 2015 season and they'd be keen to get his salary off the books as that deal would have been signed with SKD was simply the best centre in the world.

That will give the Roosters a season to slide Ferguson back in to the NRL. The environment under Trent Robinson is much different to what Ferguson would have experienced at the Raiders, so he'll need time to learn the ropes (he's already had a head start). There isn't a whole lot wrong with putting Ferguson out on the wing for the season, then if SKD moves on, Ferguson is there ready to move in-field. You could do far worse than a back 5 of RTS, Ferguson, Tupou, Jennings and SKD.

Depth. It's the key to any sporting team and their dreams of winning a 'ship. The Roosters have simply plugged a hole that came with Minichello's retirement and a small back line reshuffle. If Ferguson is ready to go, then the Roosters have a back line that will be the envy of nearly every NRL side. If not, well then they simply have Blake Ferguson up their sleeves ready to use when the time is right. Some would say that's a win/win.