Joe Burgess

Joe Burgess

Personal information
Full name	Joe Burgess
Born	(1994-10-14) 14 October 1994[1] Wigan
Height	195 cm (6 ft 5 in)
Weight	98 kg (15 st 6 lb)
Playing information
Position	Wing
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 2013–15 Wigan Warriors 55 52 0 0 208 2016 Sydney Roosters 4 2 0 0 8 2016 South Sydney 9 5 0 0 20 2017– Wigan Warriors 15 18 0 0 72 Total 83 77 0 0 308 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 2015 England 3 1 0 0 4
As of 18 June 2017 Source: [2][3]

Joe Burgess (born 14 October 1994) is an English rugby league player. He currently plays for Wigan Warriors, having previously had an earlier spell for Wigan in the Super League and the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Sydney Roosters in the National Rugby League. His usual position is wing.

Professional playing career

Wigan Warriors

Burgess joined Wigan Warriors' academy at the age of 16 from local club Ince Rose Bridge. He played a crucial part in the U19s success in the 2013 season, scoring 24 tries in just 18 appearances.^[1] For his efforts he was rewarded with 2 appearances in Super League in 2013, making his début and scoring a try against Hull F.C..^[3]

In the 2014 season he established himself as Wigan Warriors' first choice winger, partially because of Josh Charnley's absence. This despite being so surprised at being asked to train with the first team at the start of the season that he made an offensive remark over the phone to coach Shaun Wane, believing it to be a prank.^[4] On 4 April 2014, he scored 4 tries during a 52-8 victory over Dewsbury Rams. Burgess enjoyed a fantastic rookie season for the Warriors with 22 tries (17 Super League, 4 Challenge Cup, 1 World Club Challenge) from 24 games. He also marked his first taste of Super League playoff action with a try each in all three of Wigan's playoff contests. First he scored a length of the field try in Wigan's 57-4 week one demolition of the Huddersfield Giants on 18 September 2014 after catching a high ball close to his own try line and sprinted to the opposition try line to score. Then on 3 October 2014, he would score the winning try in the dying minutes of the semi final at home against the Warrington Wolves to break a 12-12 tie and send Wigan through to the 2014 Super League Grand Final with a 16-12 win. Then in the Grand Final on 11 October 2014 against archrivals St. Helens he scored a try just before half time to edge Wigan 6-2 in front despite the Warriors being down to 12 men just two minutes in, but Saints would ultimately win the contest 14-6.

After the 2014 Super League season, Burgess was selected in the England team for the 2014 Four Nations held in Australia and New Zealand however he did not play a match.

In 2015, Burgess earned a place in the Super League Dream Team and another call-up to the England squad for their test series against New Zealand. Burgess made his début for England in a test match, before the series, against France which saw Burgess score a try in England's win over their opponents.^[5][6]

In 2016, Burgess joined the Sydney Roosters, On 31 July 2016, Burgess played one game for The North Sydney Bears in The Intrust Super Premiership NSW after he was dropped by Souths for poor form. Burgess went on to score a first half hat trick as Norths defeated Wyong 34-10 ^[7]. Midway through the 2016 season it was announced that Burgess would be returning to Wigan in 2017. Burgess scored a try on his second début for Wigan on 11 February against Salford Red Devils as the Warriors opened their defence of their Super League title with a 26-16 win. Burgess would also score a hat trick as Wigan won the World Club Challenge for a record fourth time as they defeated the Cronulla Sharks 22-6 on 19 February, becoming the second player in the history of the competition to score a hat trick in the game.

Sydney Roosters

Before the 2015 season began, Burgess confirmed he would be heading to Australia in 2016 to play in the National Rugby League with the Sydney Roosters on a three-year contract.^[8] On his debut, he scored both Roosters tries in their 42–10 loss to the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

South Sydney Rabbitohs

In June 2016 it was announced that Burgess had completed a mid season transfer to the Rabbitohs for the remainder of the 2016 season.

Wigan Warriors

Burgess returned to Wigan in 2017 after the Roosters agreed to grant a release.^[9]

After the return to Wigan he began the season in sparkling form, scoring on the opening day of the season against Salford Red Devils. He then scored a hatrick against Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the World Club Challenge win on his return to the DW Stadium. His good run continued a week later scoring two against Widnes after a very controversial scheduling issue in which Wigan called the fixture off before Widnes announced they would host it just hours before kick off. He then picked up an ankle injury which would leave him sidelined for five weeks until his return on Good Friday against St Helens. Due to the incredible form of Liam Marshall and Tom Davies he made his return playing in the left centre position and scored a brace of tries. Just over a week later and playing in the same position he scored another brace against the Catalan Dragons.

References

External links

• Rabbitohs profile