George Burgess: I still haven’t closed the door on playing again

England international George Burgess says he hasn’t closed the door on playing again in the future.

The 28-year-old was forced to cut short his stint in Super League with Wigan, who agreed to release him 12 months into his three-year contract, after being told he needs to undergo hip resurfacing surgery.

Burgess has taken advice from former St Helens full-back Paul Wellens and Ireland and British and Irish Lions forward Sean O’Brien, who both had successful hip resurfacing surgery.

“Paul Wellens is coaching now but says it feels better than when he was playing,” said Burgess, who hopes to have the operation in April.

“Sean O’Brien was with the surgeon I’m going with and he says he wishes he’d done it a while back because he was struggling with it for a few years.

“It might be something that propels me for another few years in my career, you never know.

“I still haven’t closed the door on playing again but until I get that surgery it’s hard to gauge how it’s going to feel.

“You’ve got to put it to the back of your mind and address it in 12 months’ time.”

Burgess made 150 appearances for South Sydney Rabbitohs between 2012-19 before moving to Wigan in 2020. He has won 15 caps for England so far.

On a potential return in the future, Burgess said: “You never know. It’s not finished until it’s finished, there could be another chapter in Super League before the story is finished.”

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