Rabbitohs prop forward Thomas Burgess will play his final season in the red and green of South Sydney in 2024, with the international set to extend his career for a further three seasons in the Super League from 2025 onwards.
Burgess, 31, is in line to become the Rabbitohs second-most-capped player this season, having played 225 NRL games since making his NRL debut against the Parramatta Eels in 2013. Burgess won a premiership with South Sydney in 2014, coming off the bench in the Club’s 21st premiership victory. Burgess has also played 33 Tests for England and four Tests for Great Britain since joining the Rabbitohs, including three World Cups and a Four Nations tournament, plus four appearances for England at the 2019 World 9s competition and the World All Stars in 2016.
Burgess will add to the 46 first team matches he played for the Bradford Bulls between 2011-12 before moving to Australia to play at South Sydney.
Burgess says he still has a job to do this year with the Rabbitohs.
"I’m happy to know that my future is sorted but my immediate focus is on winning another premiership with South Sydney," Burgess said.
"We have a huge eight months ahead of us as we work towards our combined goal of winning our Club’s 22nd premiership.
"I’m excited about what’s ahead here at Souths, and in England after that having the opportunity to take my young family back to the home land, but I won’t be distracted from playing my role in my team throughout 2024.
"We’re aiming to finish 2024 on the right note for the team, the Club and the Members."
Rabbitohs Head of Football, Mark Ellison, said: "Big Tommy will go down in our history as a legend of this Club, one of most-capped players and someone that has achieved premiership glory in our jersey.
"We’re all looking forward to the season ahead, working with Tom in his 12th season at the Club, and we want to send him out with another premiership.
"That is our goal, and we know it’s his goal, and we can’t wait to see him take on all-comers, starting with Manly in Las Vegas."
Biography:
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Name | Thomas Burgess |
| Date of Birth | 21 April 1992 |
| Place of Birth | Dewsbury, England |
| Position | Prop |
| Height | 196cm |
| Weight | 120kg |
| Junior Club | Dewsbury Moor |
| Previous Clubs | Bradford (2011-12) |
| NRL and Club Debut | Rabbitohs vs Eels, ANZ Stadium, 23 June 2013 (Rd 15) |
| NRL Games | 225 (all for the Rabbitohs; *additional 46 games for Bradford) |
| NRL Points | 72 (from 18 tries for the Rabbitohs; *additional 16 points from four tries for Bradford) |
| Rep Honours | 33 Tests for England (2013-18, 2022-23); four Tests for Great Britain (2019); three World Cups for England (2013, 2017, 2022); Four Nations for England (2014); four World Cup 9s games for England (2019); one game for World All Stars (2016); three games for England Knights (2012-13) |
| Awards | Rugby League World Cup 2021 Team of the Tournament - Prop (2022); The Burrow Appreciation Award (2020); Dally M Peter Frilingos Memorial Award (2013) |
