Luke Burgess (rugby league)
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| Born | 20 February 1987 Wakefield, West Yorkshire, England | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 194 cm (6 ft 4 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 112 kg (17 st 9 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Position | Prop | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: RLP | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Luke Burgess (born 20 February 1987) is an English professional rugby league footballer for the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in the National Rugby League. A forward like his brothers Sam, George and Tom, he previously played in Super League for English sides, Harlequins and Leeds Rhinos, with whom he won the 2009 Super League Grand Final, and the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the NRL.
Background
Burgess was born on 20 February 1987 in Liversedge, Wakefield, West Yorkshire. His late father, Mark Burgess who died of Motor neurone disease, was also a rugby league footballer who played for Nottingham City, Rochdale Hornets, Dewsbury and Hunslet;[1] whilst his mother Julie is a teacher, currently employed at The Scots College in Bellevue Hill, Sydney.[2] His younger brothers Tom and George, currently play professional rugby league with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, while Sam plays rugby union for Bath Rugby.
He attended Heckmondwike Grammar School to receive a secondary education before becoming a professional rugby player. He played his junior rugby for Dewsbury Moor, and also played for Liversedge Cricket Club.
Professional playing career
Super League
Burgess played Prop for the Leeds Rhinos having previously been on loan to Harlequins RL and Doncaster. He made his first appearance for Leeds in defeat at Castleford Tigers in March 2008.
Burgess' début game was against Castleford Tigers at Wheldon Road, Leeds lost this game. Burgess scored his first try on his second game against Harlequins RL. At the end of the 2008 season, Burgess became the inaugural winner of the Albert Goldthorpe Rookie of the Year Award, presented by the leading trade newspaper, Rugby Leaguer & League Express.[3]
In 2009, Burgess played in 28 games, however, he only scored one try for the club against Salford City Reds, compared to five tries from only five appearances in 2008.
On 21 June 2011 it was confirmed that Luke had signed for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, joining brothers Sam, Tom and George, at the club who play in the Australian NRL.[4]
National Rugby League
During the 2011 NRL season Burgess was named to make his NRL debut for Souths having been in Australia for less than two weeks.[5]
In May 2013, model Yolanda Hodgson who had been a contestant on Australia's Next Top Model in 2011, gave birth to the couples first child, daughter Grace Luca.[6] In August 2013, the Burgess brothers became the first set of four brothers to line up in the same Australian side since Ray, Roy, Rex and Bernard Norman played for Sydney's Annandale club in the 1910 NSWRFL season.[7]
In 2015, he joined the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, after being granted an early leave by the South Sydney Rabbitohs, after an incident at the Rabbitohs' high-altitude training camp in Arizona, United States.
References
- ^ Irvine, Christopher (26 October 2007). "Sam Burgess inspired by memory of late father". The Times Online. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
{{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|publisher=(help) - ^ http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/meet-the-magnificent-mrs-burgess/story-fni0cvc9-1226690449682
- ^ "The Albert Goldthorpe Awards". totalrl.com. League Publications. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
- ^ "Family affair at Rabbitohs". Sky Sports. 21 June 2011.
- ^ Nicolussi, Christian (29 June 2011). "Luke Burgess named to make NRL debut with South Sydney". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
- ^ "NRL's Luke Burgess and model Yolanda Hodgson welcome baby Grace to the world". The Daily Telegraph. 8 May 2013.
- ^ "Rugby league history as FOUR English brothers star for Russell Crowe's side". Mirror. 30 August 2013. Retrieved 19 October 2013.