Sad to report that John Burke has passed away.
One of the hardest on the field but a gentle giant off it.

RIP Big man, condolences to friends & family.

Tough cookie that lad .

Sad news.
Key member of Toppo's Wembley season team. Remember him getting sent off on his debut at Hull KR (I think?)

What a great player for Trinity John was, one of my all time best players. A tackling machine who put the fear of God into the opposition, he never ever took a step backwards and tackled as hard in the 80th minute as the first. Plus he was always there to take the ball up, never shirked the tough carry. Remember the last gasp try in the CC semi against Saints in 79, the Topliss to Smith the Flecth well it was John Burks carry out of defence in the last minute that got us on the front foot and remember he had played 80 minutes made 50 tackles and carried the ball 20 times already. In the final the press vote for the Lance Todd man of the match, in 1979 Toopo won it, very unusal for someone on the beaten side to win it, John Burke was second on press votes counted and not far behind Topo. John Burke what a player, a real hero of mine. RIP

Very tough player. My favourite of that era.
Very sad news. Thoughts are with his family

RIP John. A legend of his time. A hard but fair player. Always gave 100%. Tackled like a machine. Loved watching him play.

R.I.P John, thoughts are with your family and friends.

Bet he went down fighting.

RIP, John.

Nice fellow, thoughts are with your family and friends.

RIP the gentle giant. Great player and a top plumber - always reliable and ready to talk rugby while working.

That's a fitting tribute to a great player and a nice bloke!

Tough as teak, fit as a fiddle, great professional, he'd have gone well in any era of the game

RIP John Burke
Condolences to his family and friends

Sad to hear.
Top prop.
Top player.
Top guy.
Top plumber, did my Mum's bathroom in 80's.

Echo all the sentiments above, top player.
John's first game for WT was in the 'A' team and he got sent off, then he got sent off in his first team debut - can't recall him being sent off after that.

...yep well said mate...remember back in the 80's my dad decided to nail down a loose floorboard in the bathroom and promptly nailed straight through the water pipe....suffice to say I was gobsmacked to see John Burke roll up to fix it...absolute legend both on the pitch and off it.....R.I.P. big man.

It was watching that team of 1979 with him in playing hard and fair with the flair out wide that led to my love of the great game.
RIP JOHN BURKE.