You could write a book about courageous deeds on the field that have been done by Nathan Burke, but the one thing that really sticks in my mind was in 2001 and was something he did off the field. It was Nathan's first home game back at the docklands after he played his 300th game and the club had arranged for Burkie to meet with our supporters afer the game at the Victory room.

Nathan hurt his knee halfway through the game but we were looking good against Melbourne until they kicked 10 goals in the last quarter and sent us to another defeat. To the credit of the Saints supporters there were many of us who decided to stay late and congratulate him. Nathan took over an hour to make it to the Victory room due to his knee injury and Blighty famously lecturing the players out on the ground after the game.

When he arrived he apologized to everyone for taking so long, told us how great we were for staying so late, he then raffled off one of his 300 game jumpers, and stayed around talking to supporters young and old. He didn't play another game for the rest of the year and probably new that before he arrived to see all of us that night.

It is players like him that keep us going to watch the Saints because you just can't give up on them, because they never give up on us.
Onya Burkie

Gerald Brooks