Ex-Wigan Warriors prop George Burgess bombshell

George Burgess is ready to take the NRL by storm after a disappointing seas0n back in 2020 with the Wigan Warriors.

The St George Illawarra Dragons have taken a chance on former South Sydney Rabbitohs star Burgess, who is trying to return to full fitness following life-changing hip surgery.

Blake Lawrie will also be a heavyweight in the Dragons’ pack and he backed the Englishman to make a full recovery.

“George is very motivated. If he really wants it, he will get there,” Lawrie told Fox Sports.

“I have full faith in big Georgie to get back to his best.

“Our forward pack is pretty stacked and some quality players are going to miss out, so hopefully I can earn my keep and be there in round one.

“There’s a lot of new faces coming here, so I have to assert my role in the team.”

Burgess made just eight appearances for Wigan in 2020 after moving to the DW Stadium on a marquee contract and three-year deal

However, a persistent hip injury meant that the England international suffered greatly and parted ways with the Super League club in February 2021 to undergo a tough rehabilitation program.

It’s now been revealed just what the man mountain has been through to even get to the point of playing again – a point which made it almost impossible to take to the field.

“That is what he said,” Griffin said.

“Peter Gentle (St George’s assistant coach) worked with him at Souths the last year he was there (in 2019) and he said he just used to ride a bike or do yoga or something in the gym all week. Then they would wheel him out for captain’s run and then play him. He said that’s all he could do.

“And when I first spoke to him when he was in England he said his biggest motivation was to do an off-season.

“He said, ‘I just want to train like everyone else trains’.

“That is what he was looking forward to the most, because he hadn’t been able to do it for five or six ­seasons.”