Warrington Wolves: Sam Burgess keen to give academy starlets a chance to shine as he details plans to hand out debuts
Sam Burgess has taken charge at Warrington Wolves ahead of 2024 - Picture: Warrington Wolves
Having taken the reins at Warrington Wolves, Sam Burgess has admitted he’s relishing the chance to blood some youngsters into the side as early as next year.
Before he departed Australia for the UK, the new Wire head coach met up with some of the club’s academy stars, currently on a tour Down Under taking on some of their NRL equivalents.
The young Wolves were narrowly beaten by South Sydney Rabbitohs in the first game of their tour earlier this month, the club who Burgess has carved out an illustrious career with in the NRL, taking his first steps into coaching there on the backroom team.
Wests Tigers were put to the sword over the weekend just gone however, and this coming Saturday – November 4 – they take on New South Wales.
New Warrington Wolves boss Sam Burgess details excitement about club’s young talent
Burgess addressed the media for the first time since landing in the UK on Monday morning at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, and told Love Rugby League that he’s looking forward to seeing how the academy aces fare when thrown in at the deep end.
The 34-year-old will become Super League’s youngest head coach in 2024, and made his own senior bow for Bradford Bulls against Leeds Rhinos aged 17.
Agreeing with the old cliché that if you’re good enough, you’re old enough, Wire’s new chief said: “I think we’ve got some great juniors, some really exciting young kids.
“Although my job is to win with the first team, it’ll also be to progress a few of those players into the first team, and give them some guidance on that.
“I came through as a young player, so I think I’ll have some good knowledge and tips for them to try to put into first-grade. It’ll be lovely to blood a few debutants, especially local boys.
“There are some great players, and I’m really exciting to see what they can do over the next two years.”