Frank Burge - 'Chunky'

The greatest try-scoring forward the code has produced, 'Chunky' Burge was a product of Souths RU club. Switching to league, he played first grade for Glebe in 1911, at age 16, and was unlucky not to have toured with the Kangaroos that year. A dashing attacking player at lock, Burge's long-striding running style saw him score a record 146 tries during his first grade career. He scored 6 tries playing for Sydney against a visiting Maori side in 1922 and still holds the premiership record for scoring 8 tries in a club match for Glebe in 1920. Burge made his Test debut against Great Britain in 1914 and after taking part in the Test series against NZ (1919) and Great Britain (1920) he toured with the 1921-22 Kangaroos. Burge was a true professional; innovative and dedicated, and his coaching career influenced the way the game was played in this country. After setting a host of club records with Glebe, he was captain-coach of runners-up St George in 1927 and coached Norths (1935), C’bury (1936), Newtown (1940) and Wests (1947) after his retirement as a player. In 1937 he travelled overseas as a supporter of the Kangaroos but was taken ill in NZ (the first port of call) and was forced to return home. Always one who prided himself on his physical fitness Burge died in 1958, age 64, after watching a Norths v Newtown match at Henson Park.