New Warrington Wolves recruit opens up on surprise Sam Burgess role in sparking move

New Warrington recruit Alfie Johnson has revealed how an ‘out of the blue’ text from Wolves head coach Sam Burgess set the wheels in motion for his move across Super League from Leeds Rhinos.

Hailing from the town of Guildford in Surrey, Johnson’s bread and butter is in rugby union having represented both England and Great Britain in Sevens format.

The 23-year-old has spent the last few years up north in Newcastle for university, but even then has been donning a shirt in union.

His first taste of rugby league only came earlier this year when Leeds handed him a trial, but having impressed for the Rhinos’ reserves, Warrington have snapped him up on a two-year deal.

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New Warrington Wolves recruit opens up on surprise Sam Burgess role in sparking move

Wire boss Burgess, of course, had a brief spell in union himself. A Premiership runner-up with Bath in the 2014/15 campaign, he also featured for England on the international front in the 15-a-side code.

And speaking to the media – including LoveRugbyLeague – at Warrington’s training base earlier this month, Johnson explained how his move came about, with Burgess having a huge helping hand in getting it over the line.

The versatile back detailed: “I’ve been up at Newcastle University for the last four years doing my undergraduate and masters degrees, playing rugby up there and being involved with a few professional teams in union.

“In about May, Gary Hetherington (Leeds chief) got in touch with me to offer me a trial at Leeds, so that was my first time playing rugby league really.

“I thought ‘you know what, let’s give it a go’ and from watching the NRL and things, I felt like it could fit my game well.

“I went down to Leeds, gave it a go, played a few reserves games and then kind of out of the blue, I got a text from Sam (Burgess) asking to meet for a coffee.

“In the moment, I was like, ‘wow, this is a pretty big deal’. Since being at Leeds, I’d followed Warrington‘s season and how they were going, and they were a pretty big deal, having a really good season.

“I sat down with Sam and he said, ‘we’re interested, we like the stuff you’ve done in the reserves’. He liked my ball carrying and thought I could adapt pretty well to league.

“Obviously he’d done the opposite crossover (from league into union), and hearing that as a person who maybe was a bit more nervous about doing that crossover really put me at ease.

“He gave me a hand on the shoulder, he knows what is difficult from that side of things, so that was massive.

“As soon as they offered me a contract, it took me about three seconds to sign it!”

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‘I was just confused. I thought one of my mates had got the number and pretended to be him!’

Johnson is one of just three new signings made by Warrington heading into 2025, joining half-back Oli Leyland – from London Broncos – and Papua New Guinea international Dan Russell as the new boys in the locker room at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.

The youngster has been handed squad number 31, and going into more depth about that text from Burgess, he admitted: “I was just confused… I thought one of my mates had got the number and pretended to be him!

“Sam was very frank and honest with me straight away, and you obviously get a bit nervous. I’m texting Sam Burgess here, it’s a pretty big deal!

“Do I put a full stop at the end of sentences or do I not? Do I use emojis?

“But he was very honest with me and said he’d be keen to sit down and iron some things out and see where we are.

“It was very easy from that point to go for a coffee with Sam Burgess, it’s not something you get chance to do everyday.”

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