Hat-trick hero Burns completes dream turnaround and powers WAR to Knockout glory

It was only 18 months ago when Gerome Burns wondered if he would play rugby league again.

A rising star at South Sydney, Burns was forced into medical retirement from the NRL at just 26 after suffering a knee injury while playing in the lower grades for the Rabbitohs.

The blow came at a time when an upgrade to the club's top 30 roster loomed, leaving the five-eighth to wonder what was next.

It was the Wiradjuri Aboriginal Rivers who wrapped their arms around the five-eighth, and helped him with his rehab to ensure he could still play a role at Koori Knockout time.

He repaid that faith in ultimate fashion on Monday, October 5, as he produced a man-of-the-match performance in WAR's first Knockout triumph.

WAR downed a gallant Bourke Warriors side 26-6 in an all-Western grand final, with Burns mobbed by teammates and fans at full-time.

"It's unbelievable. I can't believe it. I'm honestly speechless," Burns told NITV after the match.

"From thinking I'm never going to play footy again, to coming and doing this for WAR, for my mob, I'm just so proud.

"I can't thank WAR enough."

WAR was formed in 2019 and gained a huge amount of attention almost immediately due to the star-studded nature of its playing roster.

It went close to the ultimate prize in 2023, only to be beaten by Walgett Aboriginal Connection in the decider, but they went one step better in 2026 and became just the third Wiradjuri nation to win the time-honoured carnival in the past 43 years after the Dubbo Pacemakers (1983) and the Wellington Wedgetails (1998).

The squad that won on Monday included the likes of Tyrell Sloan, Fifita brothers Andrew and David, Kieran Moseley, Clay Priest, and Zac Saddler while Cronulla stars Braydon Trindall and Jesse Ramien watched on from the sidelines after being ruled out with injury.

Burns and so many others involved with WAR were keen to thank and praise club organiser and coach Ben Gunn for the mountain of work he has put in to get the club where it is.

Gunn was understandably emotional as the club celebrated a grand final win over a battered and bruised Bourke side that left everything out on the field.

The Warriors were devastated at full-time. It marked successive grand final losses for the Far West side, whose task on Monday was made a whole lot harder because of a string of injuries to key players.

Bourke started finals day without Dylan Pythian after the former NRL player suffered an injury at the weekend. Then, in the opening minutes of the semi-final their influential veteran half Luke Walsh was stretchered off after rupturing his hamstring.

Jeremy Thurston, one of the brightest stars at Raymond Terrace across the carnival, was then left in tears on the sidelines after suffering a knee injury early in the second half of the decider. While he did manage to return, captain Alex Ronayne and Paul Roberts failed to finish the decider after going down while hooker Cameron Dennis was impacted by a nasty head knock.

Bourke fought on bravely, and were level at 6-all at one point early in the second half, but WAR's depth of talent and consistency proved too much and they ran away in the second half to claim glory.

Burns scored two of his three tries in the second half to help seal the result.

"The main message was just for me to run the ball," Burns said of his game.

"I think I sat back a few times during this carnival, just giving it, and it was probably my time to take on the game.

"This means everything. We've only been around for a short time but we've been building the whole time and now we've got one."

Bourke star Tony Pellow was named player of the tournament post-game after another sensational showing across the three days for the runners-up.

In the women's tournament, Newcastle Yowies made it back-to-back triumphs by downing the Redfern All Blacks in the grand final.

• WIRADJURI ABORIGINAL RIVERS 26 (Gerome Burns 3, Radean Robinson, Andrew Fifita tries; Gerome Burns 3 goals) defeated BOURKE WARRIORS 6 (Cameron Dennis try, Tristan Eldridge goal)