Leeds assistant coach Chev Walker still breaks down in tears thinking about former team-mate Rob Burrow.
The club is preparing to honour their fallen giant when they host Leigh on Friday. A sell-out crowd is expected for Rhinos’ first home game since Burrow, 41, tragically died almost three weeks ago after a long battle with motor neurone disease. Fittingly, it is held on Global MND Awareness Day.
Walker came through the Rhinos academy with Burrow and played more than 150 first-team games alongside him, including the club’s maiden Grand Final glory in 2004. The ex-Great Britain ace admitted: “It is going to be an emotional night but hopefully we do Rob proud.
“It has been a real tough time, obviously for all of us who played with Rob but there’s lads here who were coached by him in the Academy as well. He was such a character. You couldn’t not like him. Everyone has been really affected. Even though we all knew it [Burrow’s death] was inevitable, it’s been a lot harder than I thought. You don’t really think about the outcome.
“Just today, I was messaging Baz (McDermott) saying how one moment I’d be laughing thinking about something Rob did and the next I’d suddenly just be emotional and crying again. But what a fight he gave.”
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Some of Burrow’s other former team-mates are flying across the world from Australia and New Zealand to pay their respects at the game. Kiwi star Ali Lauiti’iti and Aussie half-back Andrew Dunemann, who both featured in that victorious 2004 campaign, are making the trip specially. Ex-Kangaroos hooker Danny Buderus, in the Leeds side when Burrow scored his brilliant solo try in the 2011 Grand Final win over St Helens, is also flying in.
Chev Walker was assistant coach of Leeds when they won the Challenge Cup at Wembley in 2020 and Rob Burrow was guest of honourWalker, 41, said: “That shows how much people loved Rob. He was the social butterfly around the changing room. There wasn’t anyone he didn’t get on with. And as different as everyone was, he could bond with everyone. He’d go out of his way to make sure everyone felt welcome.
“He was that sort of character… nosey, funny... and just wanted to know stuff. He’d never shut up! It meant he spoke to a lot of people, a lot more than many would perhaps, and he got to know everyone.”
Chev Walker celebrates scoring a try with Leeds Rhinos team-mate Ali Lauiti'iti in 2004, the year they helped the club win their first Super League title with Rob Burrow. Lauit'iti is flying in from New Zealand to celebrate Burrow's life on Friday (Press Association)Walker, hoping to help Leeds bounce back from Saturday’s dismal loss at Hull, added: “I can’t wait to see Andrew Dunemann again. He’s one of the sport’s genuine good blokes. I remember he actually paid his own fee to join Leeds and he’d do anything for anyone: such a team player. Ali is another who was a massive character and it’ll be great to see him as well.”
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