Rabbitohs lock-forward, Sam Burgess, has been rewarded for an outstanding season by being named George Piggins Medallist by Head Coach Michael Maguire as the Club’s best and fairest player at tonight’s Red and Green Ball in addition to four other awards.
In what was his last season in the red and green, Burgess was a man on a mission in 2014 and never was that fact more apparent than in Sunday’s Grand Final, when Burgess played the entire match with multiple fractures to his cheek-bone and eye-socket, etching his name into Rabbitohs Premiership history for his heroics as a result.
Burgess’s Grand Final performance would also earn him the coveted Clive Churchill Medal as man of the match in the decider, to become the first Rabbitoh to win the medal named in honour of the South Sydney legend and immortal.
Burgess enjoyed what many would agree was his best season yet in 2014 – being recognised as the Dally M Lock of the Year before going on to claim Premiership success and his Clive Churchill medal.
In his 26 appearances this year, ‘Slammin’ Sam scored 10 tries for 40 points, averaging 35.2 tackles and a whopping 178.4 metres per game. Add in 66 tackle breaks, 13 line-breaks and 61 offloads, and Burgess was without doubt one of the side’s hardest working players in season 2014.
The Best and Fairest award at the Rabbitohs is named after Club legend George Piggins. Piggins was not only a premiership-winning and international player, he was also a celebrated coach and official with the Club over a 40-year period. He was also one of the leading figures in the Club’s fight for re-instatement to the elite Rugby League competition in the early 2000s.
Congratulations to Sam Burgess on being the George Piggins Medallist for season 2014.
Previous Winners:
2003 – Bryan Fletcher
2004 – Ashley Harrison
2005 – Peter Cusack
2006 – David Fa’alogo
2007 – Roy Asotasi
2008 – Luke Stuart
2009 – John Sutton
2010 – Issac Luke
2011 – Nathan Merritt
2012 – John Sutton
2013 – Greg Inglis & John Sutton
Jack Gosiewski takes NYC Players’ Player
Sam Burgess Collects The Burrow Appreciation Award for 2014
Alex Johnston Wins the John Sattler Rookie of the Year Award for Season 2014
Sam Burgess Wins the Bob McCarthy Clubman of the Year Award for 2014
Sam Burgess Wins the Jack Rayner Players’ Player Award for Season 2014
Sam Burgess Named George Piggins Medallist for Best & Fairest
