Burgess “happy” with debut season at Wigan Warriors

Wigan Warriors – and England – winger Joe Burgess admits he’s “happy” with his first full season as a first team player, and even though the Warriors came up short in the Super League Grand Final at the weekend, he says his family and coaches are proud of what he’s achieved.

Burgess wasn’t even taken on Wigan’s pre-season tour of America at the beginning of 2014, but has finished the year as not only a regular in the Warriors side, but as a member of England’s touring party for the Four Nations.

And the winger says that he can’t quite believe what has happened to his career, saying he watches every game he plays having to double check if it’s him who is out there!

“I record every game and I keep watching them back thinking ‘this can’t be me’ or ‘it can’t be real’,” he said. “But I have enjoyed it. It’s sad that we finished with a loss at the weekend but I’m happy with what I’ve done this year,” Burgess said.

“I’m happy to get more than 10 games and to come this far and play in a Grand Final, it has made my family and friends and coaches very proud.”

Burgess has toured Australia with the England Academy squad previously, and he also hopes that his experience on that tour will stand him in good stead for his first tour with the full England squad.

“It is an experience and I’ll use it to my advantage,” he said. “Hopefully I can get in the team. If I do get a chance, I’ll take it.”