Frank Burge

Frank Burge

Frank Burge circa 1914
Personal information
Nickname	Chunky
Born	14 August 1894 Darlington, New South Wales
Died	5 July 1958(1958-07-05) (aged 63) Marrickville, New South Wales
Playing information
Weight	93 kg (14.6 st; 205 lb)
Position	Lock, Second-row, Prop
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1911–26 Glebe 149 137 50 0 511 1927 St George 18 9 0 0 27 Total 167 146 50 0 538 Representative Years Team Pld T G FG P 1912–26 New South Wales 6 7 5 0 31 1914–22 Australia 13 7 7 0 35
Coaching information
Club Years Team Gms W D L W% 1927–30 St George 66 44 3 19 67 1932 Eastern Suburbs 15 9 0 6 60 1935 North Sydney 17 10 1 6 59 1936 Canterbury-Bnkstn. 15 9 2 4 60 1940 Newtown 15 9 0 6 60 1945 North Sydney 15 8 0 7 53 1947 Wests (Sydney) 20 12 0 8 60 Total 163 101 6 56 62
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Frank “Chunky” Burge (14 August 1894 – 5 July 1958) was one of the greatest forwards in the history of rugby league in Australia. Later Burge became one of the game’s finest coaches. His club career was with Glebe and the St. George Dragons. He represented New South Wales on eighteen occasions and played thirteen test matches for the Kangaroos and played for Australia in a further twenty-three tour matches.

Born on 14 August 1894 in Darlington, New South Wales, Burge was playing first grade rugby union at age 14, the youngest ever to play senior rugby in either code.

Upon switching to the professional New South Wales Rugby Football League, Burge was playing first grade for Glebe at age 16 and was selected for the state at age 18. After his attempt to enlist in the Australian Imperial Force was rejected because of a speech impediment, Burge devoted his energies to rugby league. At 93 kilograms or 14 stone 9 pounds and equally effective anywhere in the forwards from lock to prop, he had the speed of a back to complement his strength and an anticipation that made him a support player without peer. Burge was a teetotaller who was way ahead of his time in observing a strict diet, he used coaching concepts familiar in modern sports psychology and upheld an all-year training regime that continued right through the long Sydney summer off-season. He debuted for Australia in the domestic 1914 Ashes series against Great Britain appearing in all three Tests. He is listed on the Australian Players Register as Kangaroo No. 88. Burge was the New South Wales Rugby Football League’s top try-scorer in 1915, 1916 and 1918 an extremely rare feat in even one year for a forward.