LEEDS RHINOS legend Danny McGuire has revealed the reason why Rob Burrow made the decision to retire early from rugby league.
Burrow won eight Super League titles, three World Club Challenge titles, two Challenge Cups and was given the honour of being named the Harry Sunderland Trophy winner, awarded to the Super League Grand Final’s man of the match, twice.
But, the diminutive playmaker hung up his boots at the end of the 2017 season after winning his eighth Grand Final along with McGuire.
McGuire, who is now assistant coach at Castleford Tigers, tried to convince Burrow to carry on.
“100 percent yeah, I tried to persuade him to carry on, but he had kind of made his decision up,” McGuire said on BBC West Yorkshire Sport.
“I obviously made an early decision to retire in 2019, and Rob did the same kind of thing. I think he once said to me that once I’d said I was leaving, it kind of rubber stamped the decision for him that he was going to retire.
“I think the pressure and the stress of the last few years of probably not enjoying it as much sort of took its toll, but Rob could have quite easily carried on playing. He could have done another couple of years but he wanted to get into the coaching role.
“He had the opportunity to coach at Leeds and I think you make them decisions and you’ve kind of got to stick by them at times.”
Burrow was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in late 2019 and has been at the forefront of the fight to increase awareness and funding for the disease ever since.
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