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Heroic Sam Burgess ‘does a Sattler’ to bring Bunnies home

Getty

Getty

John Sattler and Sam Burgess.

These two names will sit alongside each other in South Sydney history, after Clive Churchill Medal winner Burgess echoed the heroics of Sattler before him, helping to end the Rabbitohs’ 43-year premiership drought by playing 80 minutes with a suspected broken cheekbone.

Sattler suffered a sickening broken jaw in the third minute of the 1970 grand final and battled on in the most legendary performance in league history.

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The match: forget the scoreline, this was a beauty

This year’s historic grand final won 30-6 over Canterbury was barely three seconds old when Burgess came up spitting blood after taking the first tackle of the match.

And although the injury was the cheek and not the jaw, the result was the same.

In incredible scenes of joy in front of a crowd of 83,833, the departing Burgess was hoisted aloft by teammates as the fulltime siren sounded, exactly like Sattler was all those years ago.

A performance as courageous as it was inspiring led to Glory, Glory to South Sydney ringing out on league’s biggest day and resulted in Burgess winning the best on ground medal named after another Souths’ legend, Churchill.

The 25-year-old became the first non-Australian to win the Clive and by fulltime the tears were flowing as thick as the blood down Burgess’ face.

Sattler and Burgess embraced post-match.

“We do draw a lot of inspiration from John,” Burgess said.

“My face is a bit of a mess but I’ll take that for the win.

“I’m really honoured to be part of this and it’s something that can never be taken away from me.”

Sattler was full of admiration for a man after his own heart.

“Absolutely marvellous performance tonight … one of unbelievable magnitude,” Sattler said.

“When they write the book, Sam’s name will be written in it.

“The big fella just blew them out of the water.”

Sattler copped a swinging arm from Manly’s John Bucknall at the SCG 44 years ago.

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The Burgess family celebrate the Rabbitohs’ triumph. Photo: Getty

For Burgess, it was a heavy head clash with British compatriot James Graham when taking the opening hit-up which did the damage.

“It was some Liverpool kiss,” said commentator Andrew Johns of the collision involving Liverpool’s own, Graham.

Due to link with English rugby union club Bath in four weeks, Burgess was given the honour of taking the last shot at goal.
He missed narrowly, but it didn’t matter.

Asked at halftime by Channel Nine commentator Brad Fittler how his cheek was, Burgess, with claret spilling out of his mouth, replied: “It’s f—ed. It’s gone”.

To that point, Burgess had made more hit-ups – 13 – than anyone on the field.

League legend Darren Lockyer fractured his cheekbone in a 2011 semi-final, with 13 minutes left.

In a stark insight into what Burgess may have been risking by playing on, Lockyer was warned against playing the next week after his facial injury, because he could have lost his eyesight.

By the end of the match, Burgess could barely see for the swelling.

Graham, a noted hardman in his own right, praised his long-term England roommate for his courage.

“He was outstanding tonight as he always is,” said Graham.

Souths’ co-owner Russell Crowe was the man responsible for bringing Burgess to the club, and the pair embraced passionately on the field.

“I met him when he was 20 and he just had this ambition and I recognised what that level of ambition was,” said Crowe.

“I described him as the sparkly eyed man.”

It took 43 years for South Sydney to win their 21st premiership.

But 44 for the Rabbitohs to find their new Sattler.

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