Watch Wigan Warriors tackle Warrington Wolves in the Super League season opener on Thursday, live on Sky Sports Arena and Sky Sports Mix from 7.30pm.
Thursday 30 January 2020 12:16, UK
For the first time since he was still a teenager, George Burgess is back in the UK on a permanent basis and set to make a belated Super League debut in 2020.
Nine years ago, the prop was plucked from the youth set-up at Bradford Bulls to join brothers Tom and the now-retired Sam at NRL side South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Now entering his peak years as a player, Burgess has been lured home by Wigan Warriors on a three-year contract and is set to make his bow in this country's top-level domestic competition in the season-opening derby clash at home to Warrington Wolves.
The big question is though: How is the 27-year-old settling in after so long away?
"It's the first thing everyone asks me, but it's been really great," Burgess told Sky Sports. "The first few weeks was tough with the kids getting adjusted to the new time zone and the weather, but they've enjoyed it. They're settling in great and that makes me feel more comfortable.
"It was great (at Souths) and I learnt a lot over there, and we had a great coaching staff throughout my years. I learnt from a lot of great players over there and it was such a good experience.
"It's great I can come back and put that into Super League now, and hopefully it will rub off on other people."
The highlight of Burgess's time in Australia was being part of the Souths team which won the NRL Grand Final in 2014 and included him scoring a try in the 30-6 victory over Canterbury Bulldogs.
The Dewsbury-born England international makes no secret of the fact he would have dearly loved to have lifted the Provan-Summons Trophy more than once, but learning his trade at the Rabbitohs and living deep in one of Australia's rugby league heartlands made for a memorable time.
"It was like a big holiday for me at the start, living in that climate and in Sydney," Burgess said. "Living in a big city at 18 was really cool and something I just embraced, and the standard of rugby was great over there - even in the U20s and reserve grade.
"The interest in the game was awesome and it was great to see where it could get to for Super League.
"Living in a big city at 18 was really cool and something I just embraced, and the standard of rugby was great over there."
"Especially in Sydney, it's their number-one sport and they've got the beast that is Origin which props up the game really well.
"Everyone grows up watching it, they have every game on TV live which is a great thing and something Super League should strive to get to. If you can get the kids watching it and aspiring to do that then it grows the involvement, everyone wants to play it and it breeds success."
Among the other new recruits joining Burgess at Wigan for the new season is reigning Man of Steel Jackson Hastings, who steps into the void in the halves left by the departure of George Williams to Canberra Raiders.
Burgess, meanwhile, adds more depth to an already imposing pack as Adrian Lam's team bid to return to the Super League Grand Final after being just 80 minutes away from reaching Old Trafford in 2019.
"They're a great club with a great leadership team of Sean O'Loughlin, Liam Farrell and Tommy Leuleuai," Burgess said.
"Those guys really prop up that squad and have done so for a number of years, which is really handy to have and makes it quite easy for a coach like Lammy to come in and lead the team when he's got those type of players.
"If guys like me and Jackson can add to that, and contribute where we can, it will be great."
