Burke back in Toon
Mon, 04 Aug 2008 17:18
Australia and Newcastle Falcons legend Matthew Burke made an emotional return to Kingston Park on Monday, in what is the start of a week of events as the club says farewell to the Aussie great.
Having been forced to retire with a knee injury, Burke will be the guest of honour at Friday night's meeting with Australian Super 14 side, Western Force.
Back in Toon after ten months in his homeland, he said: "I'm enjoying the finer things in life now, having a beer on a Friday night, watching the footy on TV without having to worry about prepping up for the next game, and I'm enjoying it so far.
"It's given me a whole new perspective of what rugby is about, which I don't think you necessarily get as a professional player when there's always that next game to prepare for. I'm now that old bore at the end of the bar, saying 'it was better in my day', but I'm just so thankful for everything and looking forward to the future now."
Having suffered the agony of a career-ending injury against Bath last season, he said: "I dislocated my shoulder in the Bledisloe Cup game back in 1998, and when the doctor called for the little medi-cart I said 'there's no way I'm getting on that mate', and it was the same when I did my knee out here against Bath and the physio wanted the stretcher.
"I knew then it was the end, but I still had the pride to pick myself up and walk off the pitch under my own steam. You always hope against hope that it's better than you think, but as I was sat in the changing room after walking off the field I knew even before the scans that my time was up.
"I'm absolutely frustrated that I won't get to play again, but I'm enjoying things at the moment and I can honestly look back and say I'm one of the luckiest people in the world to have made a living from what was a real passion.
"My time at Newcastle is something I will look back on with great fondness with the friends we made and the good times we had. It's fantastic to be back here for the week, and I must thank the club for organising the events I'm involved with, which will be a lot of fun."
With keen interest in Burke's next move, the man himself said of life after rugby: "I've heard ex-players saying that they miss the game when they retire, but for me so far I can honestly say that's not the case.
"What I miss more is the things that go around the game, the camaraderie with your team-mates, and that side of it. I was watching the Tri-Nations game last weekend and I saw Phil Waugh get smashed in the face by one of the All Blacks. Do I miss that? No chance!
"One big thing I do miss is the fans, especially up here in the South Stand at Kingston Park.
"Playing fullback you can always hear what the fans are saying on the terraces, and I mean everything! Anyone who says anything else is a liar, and on more than one occasion I was extremely amused by some of the banter I heard. To have the South Stand singing 'Burkey is a Geordie' is something that I will cherish forever, and I would like to think I went some way to repaying them by always wearing the shirt with pride.
"It will be interesting to see what the next chapter is for me, I really don't know that yet, but I know it will be tough. I've been lucky in that I always found playing rugby to be very easy. I don't mean that to sound arrogant, I just mean it was a very natural thing, and now it's just a case of seeing what direction I choose to take.
"I'm enjoying being back in Australia, myself and the family are establishing the base back over there, and once we're settled again it's just a case of working out what we want to do in the broader scheme of things.
"Some bloke actually hit me up the other day when I was in the fruit and veg store, asking me to do a bit of coaching at the local junior under-9s club, but apart from that there hasn't been anything firm just yet!
"I'm doing some work with a mobile and internet company, a bit of rugby punditry I suppose you could call it, but as to what the next step is for me, only time will tell. I've been lucky in my life that I've never had to have a proper job, I'm not sure how I'd look in a suit doing the nine-to-five thing - we'll just have to wait and see."
