Huddersfield Giants have announced the signing of England international and South Sydney Rabbitohs star Thomas Burgess on a three-year-deal from 2025.
A hugely respected and stalwart England international, Burgess has played in Rugby League World Cup Finals for his country and has made 33 appearances for the national side to date, showing his commitment and consistency throughout his career.
Burgess made his senior England debut in 2013 for the World Cup, where he featured in two matches. His first international try came in England's 84-4 emphatic win over France in a 2015 international game, and he has become an integral member and leader in the side ever since.
One of the most experienced forwards within Rugby League, Dewsbury-born Burgess made his breakthrough at Huddersfield's neighbours Bradford Bulls, where he burst onto the scene in Super League. He then joined South Sydney Rabbitohs from 2013, where he has since made over 200 appearances, becoming a huge presence in their pack.
In only his second year down under, the powerhouse prop won the NRL competition with his two brothers by his side, as South Sydney defeated Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 30-6 in the Grand Final, with Burgess also playing in the 2015 World Club Challenge, where Souths were victorious against St Helens.
A firm favourite for his club and country, this signing marks a huge statement of intent for the Giants, as they look to strengthen their squad for the coming years in what is already a hugely competitive Betfred Super League competition.
Burgess pens a three-year contract with the Giants, commencing for the 2025 season, with him spending the 2024 season at South Sydney, and joining up with the Giants from November.
Burgess commented on his signing for the 2025 season when he spoke to the Giants website, and he is clear about what he wants to achieve when he arrives at the Giants next year:
"I feel real good actually, about getting it all sorted and obviously I have been looking at potentially coming back to the Super League for the last few years but now I re-signed with Souths until the end of the year, but no I've been really fortunate to get in touch with Huddersfield, we came to an agreement.
"One thing I am really excited about coming back to Huddersfield, it's really close to where I grew up, where I went to school, bringing my young family back there and it's going to be really cool to come back to where it all began with a great club like Huddersfield Giants.
"There is no mistake in what I want to do over in England, I want to come over there and win silverware," Burgess continued. "I'm not coming back to make up numbers or finish my career. I never got there with Bradford, we had a good side back in those early days, but we never pushed through into the playoffs and made the go for it.
"So that's one thing I look for in a club, I want to get there, I want to get to those finals and bring silverware back to where it should be, the birthplace of Rugby League."
Huddersfield's Head Coach Ian Watson is delighted to have captured Tom Burgess for the 2025 season and beyond and has said:
"This is a huge transfer, not just for the Giants, but for Super League and the game in general, with the stature of Thomas and what he’s achieved in his career to be consistently one of the best front rowers within the game, we're absolutely delighted for him to become a Giant in 2025."
"You only have to look at his career, winning the NRL and consistently being one of the best within the international game, we’ve been on the lookout for a big middle, and Thomas fits the profile of what we've been searching for, it's also great to have another English middle in our pack."
