George Burgess ready to get "stuck" into Super League with belated start

Burgess, of course, was on the books at Bradford Bulls as a youngster but made the move to join brother Sam at Souths before ever playing first-team.

He went on to play 150 NRL games including the historic 2014 Grand Final win and establish himself as one of the sport’s best forwards.

Burgess’ twin-brother Tom did make his mark with Bradford, playing for two season in Super League before joining Sam, George and Luke in Souths colours in 2013.

“There was a point there where I thought I might play my career out in the NRL,” said Burgess, who signed a three-year deal with Wigan and was speaking at today’s Super League 2020 launch.

“I sort of always had that feeling in me that I wanted to come back and play and experience it here.

“I was in the first team squad with Bradford and training well in that pre-season before I left, looking to make my debut in the 2011 season.

“But then I did go and Tom got his chance there in the Bradford team. It’s probably worked out for the best.

“It got to a point, though, where it was ‘yes, this is what I’m going to do’ and in the end it’s rolled on from there.

“Now I’m here with Wigan and looking forward to playing.”

Burgess missed much of last season after a record nine-match ban for gouging.

It meant he fell down the pecking order in the international ranks and missed out on the Great Britain tour.

He will hope to reclaim his England place with the Kangaroos visiting at the end of this season and said: “For me I see it as a fresh start here really and a “It’s a brand new competition to get stuck into and a new team as well.

“It’s a lot of new beginnnings for me.”