In the words that are always the worst to hear, whether coming from parents, spouses or teachers: “Sam Burgess, I’m not angry… just disappointed.”
Full disclosure. For the better part of my life I have played rugby union, but I also love rugby league. This isn’t a rugby versus league article. It is the romantic sports lover in me wishing Burgess had stayed in rugby.
At the end of the England’s doomed campaign Burgess was written off by all and sundry. Many thought he’d been given an unfair, rails run into the team. Many blamed him (wrongly) for the defeats suffered at the hands of Australia and Wales.
Many saw him as money not very well spent and a marketing exercise. Could there have been a better first chapter in the Burgess rugby story? I don’t think so.
For that first chapter could have set up a story that everyone truly loves in sport. The underdog taking it to the doubters. The man or woman doing what they said couldn’t be done. If Rocky was always the best and didn’t have to overcome, would we have watched?
If Major League Baseball’s Cleveland Indians had been top of the table and expected to beat the star-studded Yankees, would we really have jumped off the couch as the commentator screamed “The Indians win it, the Indians win it, oh my God the Indians win it!”.
If Rudy Ruettiger was the starter for Notre Dame, on a scholarship because of his amazing athleticism, would his first time playing in his final ever match been enough to make grown men cry on every watch since 1993? If Michelle Payne was expected to win that Melbourne Cup because she had won many Group 1s on favourites in the lead-up, would it have been quite so amazing?
Burgess was inspirational in the grand final of 2014, but that’s done now and that’s his legacy moment in rugby league. Trying to recapture that by heading to where it is easy for him, just doesn’t capture the imagination or pull the heart strings, particularly when another 2014 hero, Dylan Walker, had to get punted for the return to happen.
Alternatively, he could have stayed. His first chapter set up an incredible finish to the story. A story where he could have, as his coach put it, “rolled up the sleeves and become the player I thought he could be”. That’s the story that goosebumps.
Burgess had the chance to silence the doubters. He had the chance to become an all-time great in not just rugby league, but union as well. It wouldn’t have happened immediately. It wouldn’t have happened without a great deal of hard work and self-doubt. It may not have happened at all, but that’s what makes the great stories, great.
Truth is, as his coach also said, “he didn’t have to stomach for the fight”. I for one, simply as a sports fan and fan of the underdog, would have loved Burgess to pop up at the next World Cup. If we can check my desire to have the Wallabies win everything, imagine him giving a proverbial two-finger salute to all those who doubted him as his years of grind paid off for an England win.
Burgess himself didn’t like the fact he wouldn’t immediately walk back into the England team in a new position, saying he didn’t want to invest the 18 months it might take to crack it back into the squad as blindside flanker. He stated that he never hit the physical limits in union that he did in league, but to be fair, Burgess, making tackles is more tiring than missing them.
Burgess stated that time is short as a professional sports person so he didn’t want to waste it not playing at the highest level. Problem being, while the State of Origin is being played, the highest level, he’ll be playing in a quarter-full stadium somewhere against the rest, not the best.
So now he’ll go back to league and will continue to be awesome at it. Continue to dominate it. Continue to be the best in the game and I’ll watch in awe. However, it’s not what captivates.
We’ll be in awe of his skill, probably not as much in awe of his courage and fight. He’s won that admiration in league already. The fight was in rugby, and he didn’t have the stomach for it. It would have been hard, and he chose easy.
My hopes now lie with Jarryd Hayne and Ellyse Perry. These stories have potential. These first chapters are setting up something great. Stories that can’t be written in the comfort zone of easy choices.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Same to you Yoda,whilst we are at times at loggerheads,it's all in good fun. Remember champion "What the world needs is more geniuses with humility,there are so few of us left ."
Yoda
Guest
Happy Xmas Crosscoder and a prosperous new year
Rodney Olsen
Guest
Yoda, why did you only single out RL when it has now been shown that more or less all sports continued to be played out here?
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Money for nothing and the assets are free,.With apologies to Dire Straits.
yoda
Guest
That famous old song Mike,SILENCE IS GOLDEN,GOLDEN.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Don't worry about Mike,absence makes the heart grow fonder.Instead worry about you giving a response to earlier questions.
Yoda
Guest
Where's mike
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
We're still awaiting your acknowledgements and deflections don't count BTW Yoda.
Yoda
Guest
Still waiting for your reply mike
Rodney Olsen
Guest
Just another hit n run with no substance, as usual. You're welcome Yodal.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Nothing adds up for you Yoda,.Closed minds can have that effect.
Yoda
Guest
The Anzac test just doesn't add up Just put it in the roars search bar Mike,it's interesting reading.
Mike
Guest
Still waiting for your reply Yoda.
Mike
Guest
You're not too good on history Yoda. To deconstruct your subjective Rugby bias: "league in Australia was the only code not to suspend its competition"........a cursory search will easily find that Australia's biggest domestic followed and played sport, AFL, continued play during WW1 as did many others. RL did not need to get any "advantage over" RU early last century as by 1910 it had already smashed RU in popularity and player numbers. It's player depth as opposed to the declining RU code was the reason the competition proper continued. RU did not "suspend" its competition during WW1 they suspended the awarding of a premiership. Games were still played in Sydney and Brisbane albeit with dwindling numbers. If you have any proof that RL administration openly discouraged top players enlisting during WW1 I would love to see it. Summary: You are wrong on every count, back to the private school drawing board for you.
Rodney Olsen
Guest
True, Yoda, no one is being insulted. Well except for their intelligence that is.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
I'm still awaiting your acknowledgement Yoda about union in France and what they did to rugby league there without recompense,proven by the French Govt.and by lobbying an Occupation to do so.Fraternising with the enemy,is that good Yoda? Stop trying to throw in other issues ` I've already given you an answer re WW1 Yoda,Jethro,Mamma,Spiro.:No Plus I've given reasons.You have given nought except deflection,just as union authorities in France did post WW2.You just didn't like the answer I gave,didn't fit it with your agenda. Got to laugh, you say nobody's insulting anyone,you did by virtue of besmirching people who played rl in WW1,some of whom may in fact be related to posters.and suggesting the code played to gain an advantage .If it did it would have had teams in SA/WA/Vic. There is a saying "they also serve who only stand and wait" . As others have stated the dummy aliases in rl threads ,coming from union minded people with a similar style ,leaves a deep suspicion in ones mind. Here are a few more which you can mull over but as usual ignore. Why was rugby league banned in the armed services in Britain? Why was rugby league denied insurance in Italy late 60s? Why was it banned in Morocco? Why didn't ru officials look after the welfare of their players prior to 1908 and install look after their own pockets? Care to disuss apartheid and union's involvement?As low as one can go on any scale.
Rodney Olsen
Guest
Why don't you mention the VFL that continued to play during WW1? Why not the Cricket that played during the Summer? Did Soccer stop playing like Union or did they continue playing like other sports all over the nation did? Did Horse racing stop? What about the Queensland Rugby Union dying in the 1920's only for Rugby League to host a Union and League carnival and the QRL allowing the QRU to keep all the profits to "get them back on their feet"? Using war and death to try and get one over another, so low, all men die, who gives a shit what sport they played aye.
Yoda
Guest
Boom hold on to your hats folks,Nobody's insulting anyone here,just stating historical facts,nobody's insinuating no rugby league players didn't serve,fight and die for their country,the facts are the only code to remain active during World War One was league,why was that?Were the top players at that time discouraged not to serve to keep the code going to get an advantage over the other codes!Crosscoder just a yes or a no answer will do.
Bruce
Guest
I think you'll find most of the RL players pre WW1 were Irish Catholics who weren't that keen to do the fighting of the English aristocrats who had subjugated Ireland........and I say good on em!!!! On the other hand the ARU was strongly aligned to the English upper classes who ran RU and their incompetent army......so.......pip pip to them and tally ho the hunt....lol.
Birdy
Guest
Your right Crosscoder , My reply supporting you was censored. Any reference stating that RL took advantage of WW1 is a direct insult to my family and thousands of other RL supporters who fought and died in both wars!!!!!