Home alone Burgess has no regrets over Bulls stay

A glamourous lifestyle on Sydney’s finest beaches or battling financial crisis at a permanently gloomy Odsal?

For most, it would not even be a question. Pack your shades, shorts and away you go.

For Tom Burgess, however, choosing the latter has been the best decision made in his fledgling career.

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For all the uncertainty about troubled Bradford Bulls this season, one thing that has remained virtually constant is the inclusion of the young prop in Mick Potter’s first team plans.

Burgess, 20, has played in all but one of the 18 games so far, each time coming off the bench and invariably making an impact with his bulging 6ft 5in frame.

Last weekend, his brothers – England second-row Sam, former Leeds Rhinos prop Luke and Tom’s twin George – all lined up together for the first time as South Sydney faced Canterbury Bulldogs in the NRL.

One by one, the close-knit band of brothers from Dewsbury have joined Russell Crowe’s Rabbitohs with only Tom declining. So far.

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Superstar Sam left Bradford in a £200,000 deal at the end of 2009, with teenage rookie George following 12 months later before he had even made his Super League debut with the Bulls.

Tom had the option of joining at the same time but decided to stay and make his own way at Odsal.

Eldest sibling Luke, 25, then upped and left Leeds midway through last season, leaving Tom on his lonesome.

However, he has made great strides in the interim, debuting against Harlequins last April and racking up 20 appearances in the 2011 season.

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By comparison, George only made his senior bow for South Sydney last weekend; his twin amasses his 34th Super League game at St Helens this evening.

“I’ve never regretted any decision I’ve made,” Tom told the Yorkshire Post. “Even if I’d not played as many games as I have, it would still have been validated.

“It was the right decision for me at the time to go my separate way.

“Obviously, I miss them but I’m sort of embracing the singularity of myself.

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“It’s nice to be seen as an individual. All of my life I’ve been classed as a Burgess brother and a twin as well.

“I love being a part of that but it’s been nice seeing the other side of it as well.”

The talk is that he will, though, make the switch to Sydney at the end of the season.

“There’s rumours there and my contract is up at the end of the year here,” he added.

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“I’ll be in talks with Bradford but we’ll just go on from there and take all my options into consideration.”

Currently living with his mum Julie – “she’s a pretty cool house mate” – the anticipation ahead of that Canterbury contest understandably reached fever pitch.

“There was a lot of excitement and it was great to see them all on the same team sheet,” Burgess continued.

“My mum was jumping up and down like mad. They (Souths) offered to take her over there to see it but she didn’t go and we watched it on the box. I think she felt sorry for me!

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“It was good to see George get a game. It’s been a long time for him and it probably could have come a bit earlier but he’s taken his chance and, hopefully, now he can stay there.

“I Skyped him on Monday morning and they’re all doing well despite the loss.”

And, also, despite the altercation between Sam and his England team-mate James Graham, the former St Helens prop now playing for Canterbury.

“I don’t think he was intentionally trying to go into him,” said Burgess, after his brother’s forearm caused a major scuffle.

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“There was a bit of confusion on the pitch and a slight elbow raised but that happens. It got blown out of proportion and they’re mates off the pitch.”

Back on the English pitches, Bradford are aiming for a Super League double over St Helens.

They have a short turnaround following Monday’s 46-32 victory over Castleford but Burgess said: “We’ve got to deal with that. We’ve just squeezed one session in and we’ll be up against it but we’ll just go against it like we have this week with injuries.

“We’re in the top eight now and want to stay there.”

Bradford were missing 11 first-teamers against Castleford and that player-shortage has not eased since.

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There is also, of course, the ongoing financial drama at Odsal with claims they still need £1.25m to avoid administration, a far cry from flying guests halfway around the world like Souths.

Burgess insisted: “I don’t think it is affecting us. Obviously, there’s some worried people – lads coming off contract and senior players in there who know the security has gone for them now.

“But I think they’re just trying to keep their heads on training and bringing that into matches.”

The main problem for the club, though, is Bradford are unable to register new contracts while the doubts continue.

That is something they will have to address quickly if they want to stop another Burgess flying the roost.

Otherwise, it seems only a matter of time before he joins those siblings in Australia.

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