NRL's Ferguson denies groping woman in bar RUGBY league player Blake Ferguson has denied groping a young woman at a Sydney nightspot and says it's all a case of mistaken identity. Ferguson is accused of touching a 24-year-old woman between her legs at 2230 Bar and Restaurant in Cronulla on June 16. The woman has stood by her claim the former Canberra Raiders player squeezed her vagina firmly while he was out celebrating his NSW State of Origin selection with fellow player Josh Dugan. But Ferguson told Sutherland Local Court on Wednesday he did not grope the woman. He says he did touch her on the upper, inside thigh because he mistook her for another blonde woman he'd been kissing at another pub Northies earlier that night. Ferguson said he had made plans to meet up with the woman at the other bar later in the night. He said when he saw the alleged victim he thought it was her. "I tried to kiss her just like I did (before)," he said. When she then slapped and hit him, he said he giggled because he didn't know why the girl was suddenly rejecting his advances. "I sort of realised it wasn't her, but she kept on yelling and screaming at me," he said. I was pretty embarrassed. But police prosecutor Rick Manley said Ferguson never explained to the alleged victim, her boyfriend or Dugan that he'd thought the girl was someone else. When Mr Manley suggested this version of events was a last-minute invention, Ferguson insisted it had been an innocent mistake. "I would never touch anyone like that if I didn't know them on an intimate level," he told the court. Dugan also gave evidence he'd seen Ferguson canoodling a young blonde woman at the previous venue. When asked by Ferguson's lawyer Adam Houda if, as a sports star, there was "no shortage" of young women approaching him, Dugan replied: "Not at all." In CCTV footage shown in court, Ferguson can be seen posing for photos with fans and hugging a young woman before turning and approaching the alleged victim behind him. She then shoves and slaps Ferguson, who goes to the other side of the bar. The hearing before Magistrate Jacqueline Trad continues.