Former South Sydney Rabbitohs prop might be in the midst of deciding which club he will be an assistant coach at for 2023, but he has revealed that he almost never played for the club who made him a household name.
Burgess is currently in a tug of war between the Rabbitohs and Dolphins for his services in 2023, with Burgess admitting his heart might be with South Sydney, but the lure of learning from Bennett is a big factor in the decision.
His chances of becoming an assistant coach at South Sydney could have become moot though if Des Hasler had of been more open to the idea of turning the Englishman into a Sea Eagle.
Speaking on The Bye Round Podcast with James Graham, Burgess revealed he was ringing Hasler every other week about the potential of linking up with the Sea Eagles, before South Sydney owner Russell Crowe finally decided to take a chance on the oldest Burgess brother.
"I was trying to get to Manly," Burgess said.
"I used to pester Des [Hasler] with voicemails a couple of times a week.
"One day, Russell Crowe called me out of the blue. He was the only guy who was willing to take a risk on a 20-year-old English kid.
"He said 'Sam, I can open any door in the world you want, but you have to walk through it.' He said he'd make it happen and six months later, I walked through the door at South Sydney."
It would lead to all four Burgess brothers playing for the Rabbitohs, with a premiership won during Sam's tenure at the club, and George still going around for the men from Redfern in the 2022 season.
Sam would end up going on to play 182 games for the Rabbitohs in two stints, firstly between 2010 and 2014, and secondly between 2016 and 2019.
The prop forward took a hiatus to try his hand at rugby union back in England in 2015, playing five Tests for England before returning to South Sydney.
Now 33, Burgess has begun his coaching career on the Coffs Coast and will undoubtedly move into the NRL next season.