Samuel Burgess was on the front pages of at least three Australian newspapers on Monday morning (The Sydney Morning Herald, Daily Telegraph, The Australian). The back page of the Telegraph showed him being embraced in tears by Hollywood superstar Russell Crowe. His heroic performance of playing almost the entire match with a broken cheekbone (after being clobbered by his compatriot James Graham) has been compared with the famous performance of John Sattler in 1970, playing with a broken jaw. He is regarded as a magnificent athlete by all Australian journalists, the vast majority of whom agreed with his being awarded the Clive Churchill medal, for best performance in a grand final. Samuel has even eclipsed James Graham as the most admired English NRL player in a generation. The photographs and television coverage of him crying through his deformed and bloodied face has turned him into a man most Australians admire.

The Australian media and public regard Samuel Burgess as a great man whose return to rugby league will be greatly anticipated.

It's nothing new playing with injury. Roger Millward played with a broken jaw in the 1980 Challenge Cup final. IMO Burgess only got mom because of that. I thought George Burgess played better. Hell I thought James Graham played better.

Not sure if all NRL fans feel that way, maybe the Souths Bogans idolise him and the rest think he is a good player.

Most fans think the "Burgii" get far too much air time from the media and that has plenty to do with a media that sucks up to Souths and that Clubs owner.

I wish Rugby League in the UK got just a quarter of the air time it gets in Aus. It'd be a million times more than the mentions in dispatches we currently get.

Sam Burgess...broken eye socket and cheekbone....its good..but not quite Carling.

Alan Prescott. He is best remembered for leading his side to victory over Australia at Brisbane in 1958, having broken his arm after just four minutes but continuing to play. The match became known as "The Battle of Brisbane".

was that the 'rorke's drift' test match? where I think 4-5 players where injured?

Rorkes Drift Test was 1914. England expects every man to do his duty.

Sam Burgess' huge, crying face is currently the main article on the front page of the bbc website!
Talk about some prominent media coverage! The cynic in me suggests it's only because he's moving to the other code

I don't think you are being cynical only pointing out the truth.

RL marketing/media managers need to look at why this kind of thing happens.

Then again............

thanks, I knew it was while ago

Big Sam is only off to Union for a rest, as well as the coin.
When he got interviewed before the Roosters/Bunnies semi he said that he'd only be able to continue playing in the NRL for another 3/4 years maximum due to the level of physical intensity.

Can't see him ever returning if he makes as big a success of his Union career, as the one he's now carved out in League. With his personality, physical presence and tele appeal he's just box office.