Burgess joins Sattler in Souths’ history

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.

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

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.

Lockyer said the toughest thing for Burgess would be to communicate with his teammates.

But after brother George put Souths’ ahead 12-6 midway through the second half, it was Sam who got in the middle of the huddle and barked instructions at teammates.

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 eye sight.

By the end of the match, Burgess could barely see, with his face having swelled so much.

And it’s not as if he got an armchair ride either.

In a second half scrum, Bulldogs prop Tim Browne appeared to try and charge Burgess with his head in a scrum.

Burgess reeled away, had words with Browne and then got back to business.

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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