Slammin’ Sam shows he’s still the man with brutal display against Dragons

Where does Sam Burgess now rate among the greatest Brits to play Down Under? His legacy has grown another leg after dismantling the Dragons in stunning fashion at Jubilee Oval.

Sam Burgess with James Graham at full time. Picture: Phil Hillyard

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When it mattered, Sam Burgess stood up.

Big time.

First, he crashed over near the posts.

Harder to stop than an incoming tide.

Then, and only three minutes later, the hulking Englishman was again in it thicker than even his accent - this time pushing through the St George Illawarra defence and offloading for No.6 Cody Walker.

Different play.

Same result.

Try.

Sam Burgess with Dragon's James Graham at full time at Kogarah Oval. Picture: Phil Hillyard

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And OK, so the big unit had a couple of errors.

Throw in too, the clanger that was him trying to grubber the ball midway through the second half - and missing it.

Completely.

Immediately afterwards, stood like a yellow marker on the 12th tee, demanding a mulligan.

But again, when it mattered - when the result was in the balance and Kogarah Oval seemed ready to explode in an upset Dragons win - it was Burgess who took the game into his oversized mitts.

So the greatest Englishman to ever play rugby league Down Under?

Maybe.

Burgess was enormous in the win over the Dragons. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Although we wouldn’t argue that while sharing a schooner with Malcolm Reilly.

Nor standing within range of his right hand.

Even aged 71, we’re backing Mal in.

Against everyone.

But, geez, Burgess is some player.

By the finish in this one, scoring two tries while also running for 157m - second only to Souths centre Braidon Burns - while also making four tackle breaks, two line breaks, an offload and 18 tackles.

Before this one, all the headlines had centred around the Dragons spine.

Afterwards, however, the yarn was how Burgess carried Souths on his back.

Or something like that.

The Rabbitohs lock with fans after the match. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

So again, where does Slammin’ Sam now rate among the greatest Brits to play Down Under?

That wonderful roll call including, but certainly not excluded to, the likes of Adrian Morley, Ellery Hanley, Garry Schofield, Martin Offiah, Cliffy Watson and Dragons prop James Graham.

For the longest time, up the top has been Reilly.

That legendary Castleford forward who not only won consecutive premierships with the Manly Sea Eagles in 1972-73, but then coached a third with the Newcastle Knights.

And yes, we know comparing eras is hard, if not impossible.

But when you’ve got an afternoon at the pub ... well, it’s a good way to kill a couple of hours.

LISTEN NOW! The Matty Johns podcast is now live. He is joined by Paul Kent and James Hooper to debate the big issues including Taumalolo’s impact, the Dragons’ big Widdop problem and to tell some hilarious war stories.

And certainly, we should’ve predicted this was coming.

From way back on Monday morning.

When sat with Dragons rookie Mika Ravalawa in the WIN Stadium grandstand, we asked the 21-year-old Fijian exactly who in the Souths side he knew?

Nobody, he replied.

Not even one Bunnie?

At which point, the young Islander paused, looking off into the rain lightly falling onfield.

And then finally, after the longest time, a smile spread across his face as he declared: ‘The Burgess’.