Mick Burke (rugby league)
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Michael Burke | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Position | Fullback | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Mick Burke is an English former rugby league footballer of the 1970s and 80s. After playing rugby union in his youth, he turned professional and started playing for Widnes in 1978.
Playing mostly on the wing in his first season, Burke helped his club to win the Lancashire Cup, the BBC2 Floodlit Trophy and the Challenge Cup. He also kicked the winning penalty goal in a close match against a touring Australian side. That season Burke not only broke Ray Dutton's goal-scoring record, with 140 goals from his 47 games, but also Harry Dawson's long-standing points record for a season. Mick amassed 316 points, beating the old record by 34 points. The following season, Burke took over the fullback role at Widnes. He made his international debut for Great Britain in 1980 against New Zealand[1].
In his club's 1981 Challenge Cup final victory, Burke scored a try and kicked four goals and was named man-of-the-match, winning the Lance Todd Trophy. In 1982 he was man-of-the-match in Widnes' Premiership final win against Hull. Burke had earned a spot in the Great Britain side that toured Australia and New Zealand in 1984.
Burke was also one of the original thirteen former Widnes players inducted into The Widnes Hall of Fame in 1992.
References
- ^ "International Player Records". England Rugby League. Retrieved 2008-10-07.