 Fernandez made his first state crew for South Australia in the 1991 South Australian men's eight contesting the King's Cup at the Interstate Regatta within the Australian Rowing Championships.He raced again in South Australian King's Cup crews in 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995 and stroked those crews in 1992, 1993, 1994.After accepting a scholarship to the Australian Institute of Sport and during his senior Australian representative years, Fernandez raced the King's Cup in Australian Capital Territory crews.