Barrie McDermott Pledges to Cherish Rob Burrow’s Legacy Forever as Headingley Prepares Emotional Tribute
Barrie McDermott, the Sky Sports rugby league pundit, has vowed to “talk about Rob Burrow forever” as the iconic Leeds Rhinos stadium prepares to honour the memory of the legendary player.
Burrow, who passed away on June 2 at the age of 41 after a courageous four-and-a-half-year battle with Motor Neurone Disease, will be remembered with deeply emotional tributes during the upcoming Super League fixture between Leeds Rhinos and Leigh Leopards at Headingley on Friday night.
“It has been a very sad time since Rob’s passing because he’s got such a beautiful young family,” McDermott told Love Rugby League. “You saw this small, unbreakable piece of granite just deteriorate to the point where he was just skin and bones. But the way that Rob handled himself, the way his family have been a shining beacon for everybody, has been a true testament to him as a person.”
The only sell-out crowd at the recently redeveloped Headingley since the stadium’s renovation was for the January 2020 game against Bradford Bulls, which doubled as a benefit match for Burrow and fellow Rhinos icon Jamie Jones-Buchanan’s testimonial. With numerous club legends like Danny Buderus and Kylie Leuluai expected to attend, the stage is set for another near-20,000 sell-out as the rugby league community comes together to celebrate Burrow’s remarkable life and legacy.
McDermott, who played alongside Burrow in the Leeds team that ended the club’s 32-year wait for a championship by defeating Bradford Bulls in the 2004 Super League Grand Final, was a key figure in the close-knit group of former teammates who provided unwavering support to Burrow following his devastating diagnosis.
McDermott’s recollections of the frequent visits to Burrow’s family home in Pontefract, filled with dark humour and the camaraderie that characterised the Rhinos’ dressing room, highlight the profound impact the diminutive legend had on those closest to him.
“I’ll take that with me and talk about him forever,” McDermott declared. “Rob planted seeds that will grow long after he’s gone, and he’s definitely changed me in many, many ways. I hope people can say ‘I want to be part of this celebration of Rob’s life’ and show his family just how much he meant to them.”
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