Nathan Bourke Retires

[roostersgal4eva]

Nathan Burke Retires

from afl.com.au
Burke calls it a day

St.Kilda veteran Nathan Burke will play his last game for the Saints against Richmond on Saturday night at Telstra Dome.

Burke announced at Moorabbin on Monday that the match would mark the end of his 322-game career, one which started in 1987.


Burke became St.Kilda’s record games holder against Adelaide last week, but missed the match against West Coast on Sunday because of a corked thigh.

Burke finished third in the 1996 Brownlow Medal, won three best and fairests, won four All-Australian jumpers and was co-captain of the Saints from 1996 to 1998 and was outright captain in 1999 and 2000.

The Tigers will be coached by his close friend and long time Saints teammate Danny Frawley and it will mark the second time this year that the Tigers have been up against an emotionally fired-up opponent, following the Jason McCartney comeback match in round 11, after which the Bali bomb blast survivor announced his retirement.

Champion Player and Person - one of my favorite non-lions players

Best of Luck Burkey

 

[Grimfang]

Grrr...It's Burke, not Bourk.

Has been a champion player for the club. Good luck to him. Maybe he can get that nose fixed next year...

 

[Falchoon]

Originally posted by Grimfang
Grrr...It's Burke, not Bourk.

Has been a champion player for the club. Good luck to him. Maybe he can get that nose fixed next year...

1st try Bourk
2nd try Bourke

Have a third go

 

[Zeke]

Good on ya Burkey.

Hopefully he wears his helmet for his last game, he's just not the same without it.

 

[tribey]

I just hope Robbert Harvy doesn't follow suit

 

[Dry Rot]

Top player and my favourite Saint.

Hope the Saints win for him.

 

[pazza]

Congratulations to Burkey on a great career.

A true champion and inspiration to so many people, both inside and outside of St. Kilda.

 

[Falchoon]

Originally posted by dyertribe
I just hope Robbert Harvy doesn't follow suit

Harvey will probably retire when he is 33 also

 

[babycakes]

Ha ha Barina man beep beep yeah

 

[Seb]

Farewell to the man with the helmet,he was a pretty special player for the Sainters.

 

[MarkT]

Has been a fantastic player. I still recall a match at the G about 4 or 5 years ago where he was moved onto Buckley when Bucks was absolutely killing the Saints. He stopped Buckley dead and then got the ball himself and won the game for the Saints.

Is it coincidence that when he stopped wearing the helmet he couldn't get a kick? Maybe not. He was gun but his time has past. Hope he has a blinder to go out on.

 

[hotpie]

Why would a player retire with four weeks to go? Especially as mathematically StKilda are still a finals chance, and they just pumped the third placed side by ten goals??

Great career, another changing of the guard at Linton St.

 

[Foxtrot]

Great player - hard and fair and always switched on.

He's picked the retirement game specialists as an opponent - I'm predicting a late last quarter goal to Burkey to give the Saints a 3 point win.

 

[CharlieG]

Well done Burkey on a great career. One of the players I respect the most outside of the Swans.

 

[SCRAY72]

Great career, Well Done.
Only Banger left from that era, he is good enough to go again in 2004 and help develop Hayes and co. even further.

 

[Falchoon]

Originally posted by hotpie
Why would a player retire with four weeks to go? Especially as mathematically StKilda are still a finals chance, and they just pumped the third placed side by ten goals??

Great career, another changing of the guard at Linton St.

It's our last game at Telstra Dome and he wants to farewell the fans. Last three are at Optus, Launceston and Geelong.

Great player and great bloke.

 

[Joel]

Good on him for such a great career. I've always admired the bloke.

 

[Joffaboy]

Well done and good luck Burkie.

A great St.Kilda and Aussie Rules champion.

 

[BenSmith3]

What a champion, an icon of the game, surely the saints couldnt lose this week....could they?????
But seriously, what a legend, won't be a dry eye in the house

 

[Falchoon]

Originally posted by BenSmith3
What a champion, an icon of the game, surely the saints couldnt lose this week....could they?????
But seriously, what a legend, won't be a dry eye in the house

The winning record on Nathan Burke milestones is somewhere around 0%

 

[Rough_Edges]

Burkie played 323 games for the Saints and every game he played he would have put in 100%

10 time b&f and 11 time Australian represenative and he will play his last game against Richmond this week, with his great friends Danny Frawley and Stewie Loewe coaching against him!

I think it was the right time for him to retire and he now wants to coach for the saints (not top job)...I love you Burkie!!


YOU CHAMP

 

[mattyc2422]

Sensational career. Good on him.
Hope the Saints win.

 

[weewilly]

Good luck for the future well played.
Your father Barry was a very good player at Sandy as well and played in the 1962 premiership.

 

[saint amy]

Well done on a great career Burkey. I have so many great memories of him playing. He's a champion player and a great guy so all the best Burkey, you'll be a player that I'll never forget.

 

[The Fireman]

Great career and a great bloke, well done Burkey, plenty of great memories and I'm sure Chris_Judd and Goa^uld would like to pass on their congratulations as well.