Bungling Burgess brothers’ bad night

THE first thing a young rugby league player is taught is how to do up his headgear.

The second is how to hold a football securely.

The Burgess brothers appear to have skipped both those lessons while learning the game in the north of England.

It was all downhill for George from the early stages of the preliminary final clash with the Sydney Roosters when he had his strapping that covered 20 stitches knocked clean off his head.

Ball control has been a major issue for the star trio all season and ultimately it cost South Sydney a spot in the 2018 grand final following a 12-4 loss to their bitter tricoloured rivals.

Entering the clash, Sam’s 26 errors were the most of any forward in the competition alongside teammate Angus Crichton – a whopping eight more than the next ranked middle forward in Jason Taumalolo.

Between the brothers and their back-rower, they’d amassed a staggering 69 errors throughout the season prior to last night’s clash.

That number surged in the last ever game at the Sydney Football Stadium, now known as Allianz Stadium.

George was quickest out of the blocks, spilling his beans in the 15th minute while lumping the ball up out of his own end.

The Roosters capitalised on the mistake in the following set with the opening try of the game to winger Daniel Tupou.

Sam then dropped it cold in the 32nd minute leaving the Rabbitohs’ own half, while Crichton ensured he wouldn’t be outdone atop the leaderboard with his own mistake just minutes out from halftime.

Tom almost completed the brotherly trifecta in the first 40 minutes when the ball left his grasp attacking the Roosters’ line, but it was contentiously deemed to have been a strip.

With 15 minutes remaining before full-time it was Sam again showing he’s been burdened with sticks of butter for fingers, dropping a short ball just 10m from the Roosters’ tryline with the Rabbitohs trailing by four points.