Frank Burge

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Nickname(s)
Chunky
Born
Tuesday, 14th August, 1894
Died
Saturday, 5th July, 1958 (Aged 63 years and 324 days)

Awards & Accolades

International Hall Of Fame
2004
National Rugby League Hall Of Fame
2004
Immortal
2018

Known Family Links

Brother
Peter Burge
Laidley Burge
Alby Burge

Biography

The greatest try-scoring forward the code has produced, 'Chunky' Burge was a product of Souths RU club. Switching to league, he played first grade for Glebe in 1911, at age 16, and was unlucky not to have toured with the Kangaroos that year. A dashing attacking player at lock, Burge's long-striding running style saw him score a record 146 tries during his first grade career. He scored 6 tries playing for Sydney against a visiting Maori side in 1922 and still holds the premiership record for scoring 8 tries in a club match for Glebe in 1920. Burge made his Test debut against Great Britain in 1914 and after taking part in the Test series against NZ (1919) and Great Britain (1920) he toured with the 1921-22 Kangaroos. Burge was a true professional; innovative and dedicated, and his coaching career influenced the way the game was played in this country. After setting a host of club records with Glebe, he was captain-coach of runners-up St George in 1927 and coached Norths (1935), C’bury (1936), Newtown (1940) and Wests (1947) after his retirement as a player. In 1937 he travelled overseas as a supporter of the Kangaroos but was taken ill in NZ (the first port of call) and was forced to return home. Always one who prided himself on his physical fitness Burge died in 1958, age 64, after watching a Norths v Newtown match at Henson Park.
- ALAN WHITICKER

Playing Career Statistics

All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player's career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.

To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.

Competitions

Competition   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NRL 153 148 49   - 542 106 45 2 69.28% List
NRL Finals 5 1 -   - 3 1 4 0 20.00% List
Interstate Matches 6 7 5   - 31 5 1 0 83.33% List
Tour Matches New South Wales Firsts 21 22 22   - 110 17 4 0 80.95% List
Tour Matches Metropolis 2 6 3   - 24 2 0 0 100.00% List
The Ashes 9 3 3   - 30 4 5 0 44.44% List
Tour Matches Australia 36 46 26   - 190 27 9 0 75.00% List
Test Series 13 7 7   - 20 7 6 0 53.85% List
City Cup 20 21 2   - 67 12 8 0 60.00% List
Country Carnival 1 1 -   - 3 1 0 0 100.00% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1914, 1919-22 15 9 7   - 41 8 7 0 53.33% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Metropolis 1911-12, 1914-15, 1922 8 16 3   - 54 6 2 0 75.00% List
NSW Firsts 1912-15, 1919-22, 1926 29 32 32   - 160 24 5 0 82.76% List
NSW Seconds 1919 1 3 1   - 11 1 0 0 100.00% List
Kangaroos 1922 1 2 -   - 6 1 0 0 100.00% List
Overall1911-1926 39 53 36   0 231 32 7 0 82.05% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Glebe NSWRFL 1911 15 7 -   - 21 10 5 0 66.67% List
Glebe NSWRFL 1912 12 3 -   - 9 9 3 0 75.00% List
Glebe NSWRFL 1913 8 1 -   - 3 5 3 0 62.50% List
Glebe NSWRFL 1914 10 11 -   - 33 6 4 0 60.00% List
Glebe NSWRFL 1915 14 22 -   - 66 12 2 0 85.71% List
Glebe NSWRFL 1916 14 22 -   - 66 10 3 1 71.43% List
Glebe NSWRFL 1917 6 9 -   - 27 5 1 0 83.33% List
Glebe NSWRFL 1918 14 24 1   - 74 9 5 0 64.29% List
Glebe NSWRFL 1919 8 5 -   - 15 5 3 0 62.50% List
Glebe NSWRFL 1920 11 16 31   - 110 6 5 0 54.55% List
Glebe NSWRFL 1921 8 5 17   - 49 6 2 0 75.00% List
Glebe NSWRFL 1922 14 14 -   - 42 9 5 0 64.29% List
Glebe NSWRFL 1923 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Glebe NSWRFL 1926 3 - -   - - 2 1 0 66.67% List
St George NSWRFL 1927 15 9 -   - 27 12 2 1 80.00% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Glebe 1911-23, 1926 138 139 49   - 515 94 43 1 68.12% List
St George 1927 15 9 -   - 27 12 2 1 80.00% List
Overall1911-1927 153 148 49   0 542 106 45 2 69.28% List

Your Say

  • Anonymous
    12/03/2012

    Statistically, a peerless player. Lifted an average side (Glebe) to a position of being competitive with the top teams. If only there was footage of Burge, Messenger, Horder, et al.

  • Polyhistor
    26/04/2012

    146 tries in 154 first-grade games (8 in one game) speaks for itself. Percentage-wise,
    far in advance of other try-scoring forwards
    such as Steve Menzies!

  • Want to have your say about this player? Add a comment.

Contributions: Greg Fiveash, Andrew Ferguson, Shawn Dollin, Rugby League Tables, Alan Katzmann, Bill Bates, Jamie Murdoch