South Sydney Rabbitohs star Tom Burgess could be following Jarryd Hayne to American football, with Adam Schefter of ESPN’s NFL Insider tweeting on Friday that the New York Giants had “worked out” – essentially trialled – the English prop.
Schefter said Burgess was being eyed off as a tight end, an offensive position with an emphasis on receiving and blocking.
Other player the Giants worked out today: TE Tom Burgess. An English rugby star. Could he be the next Jarryd Hayne?
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 3, 2015
However, the Rabbitohs have been quick to hose down speculation their prized prop – whose contract extension earlier this year was said to have been a driving force in their re-signing of older brother Sam – was about to depart the 13-man code.
Souths’ take on it is that the younger Burgess is in New York “to develop his skills by participating in NFL training during his off-season break”, and has the club’s full support.
“We’re fully supportive of our players trying to improve themselves,” said coach Michael Maguire.
“This will provide a unique and valuable experience for Thomas, one that he will no doubt learn a lot from and in turn be able to bring back to the Rabbitohs for the coming season.”
However, it was a similar set of circumstances last year that saw Hayne leave Parramatta. He initially went to America on a club-sanctioned ‘fact-finding mission’ to the Seattle Seahawks.
Upon his return, the star fullback dropped the sporting bombshell of the year, resigning from the Eels to pursue his NFL dream.
And while the Rabbitohs’ media release concluded, “Thomas Burgess is contracted to the Rabbitohs until the end of the 2018 season”, if the Giants really are keen to see Burgess wearing a helmet and pads, surely whatever transfer fee they have to pay would be a drop in the ocean considering the NFL salary cap is more than $US140 million annually.
Burgess has previously spoken of his desire to test himself out in the American code.
“I have shown interest in NFL for a while and I’d spoken to a few of my friends about how I’d love to go there,” Burgess told Fairfax Media in May.
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