FAMOUS AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE PLAYER

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 113, 3 August 1927, Page 7

FAMOUS AUSTRALIAN LEAGUE PLAYER

FRANK BURGE’S CAREER

If Rugby League enthusiasts in New j South Wales, Queensland, New Zea- ! land, and England were asked to nominate the greatest forward who in their opinions ever played the 13-a-side; game, it is certain that Frank Burge, - captain and playing coach of St. , George team, would obtain an over- ■ whelming majority (says a writer in , “Smith’s Weekly”). As Trumper was : in cricket, Darcy as a boxer, and Charlton in the water, so Frank Burge is as a forward. His game has been an inspiration to thousands. No forward, either League or Rugby, can boast such a wonderful record as Frank, who, with brothers Albert, Peter, and Laidley (all internationals), can probably claim to be the most illustrious family of Rugby footballers the world has known. Standing over six feet, and tipping the beam at around 14 stone, Burge’s all-round excellence is wonderful. He first played League Rugby with Glebe in 1911. Speedy, active as a cat, clever handler, great tackier, and a sur«* placekicker. his uncanny sense of anticipation has made it possible for him to bring off the apparently impossible with ease. During the Kangaroos’ tour of England in 1921 Burge astonished the critics by scoring 33 tries and five goals (109 points), a feat only eclipsed during the tour by the famous wingers, Horder (131 points) and Blinkhorn (117 points). In New Zealand in 1919 Burge was second on the scoring list with 10 tries 17 goals (G 4 points), which bettered Harold Herder’s tally for the tour by 12 points. When the 1921 Kangaroos foregather and Burge’s deeds are recalled, his wonderful game against Lancashire on the Everton Soccer ground at Liverpool is always given pride of place. Burge scored five tries, each time receiving the ball on his own side of the halfway mark. Great as were the first four tries in that match, his last try dwarfed the lot. Receiving the ball from fullback Norman, who was jammed into the corner near his own goal-line, Burge went ahead, sent back to Norman, who returned the ball when Burge was 10 yards inside his own ground. Burge then cleared out and planted the ball under the bar. His play that afternoon caused a sensation, and the outcome was an offer of £2,000 to sign on for one of England’s Soccer clubs. Burge declined. In 1923 he announced his retirement, but, after coaching in the country, he returned and played for Glebe last season. His form was so good that he was chosen to play for New South Wales against Queensland on two occasions, but before the end of the season broke a leg in a premiership match. It was then thought his football career was finished, but his leg mended so well that when St. George, this season, approached him with an offer to act as playing coach to the club, he donned the jersey once more. What his association with Saints has done for them may be judged from the fact that, while last season they were the Rugby League wooden spooners, this season sees them occupying second position on the premiership competition table, with West’s, with gate receipts to date totalling nearly £I,OOO.