JOHN Kear’s first reaction on seeing Rob Burrow step on a rugby pitch was to smirk.

The slight figure, all 5ft 4in of him, turning out for the Leeds academy against a young Sheffield side did not cause the Eagles head coach much consternation.

Kear turned to another member of staff and laughed: “It looks like they’ve brought their under-14s.”

But the joke was soon on him as Burrow scored a hat-trick and ran the show.

“I was thinking that if that’s their under-14s, the under-16s must be pretty good!” recalled Kear as he spoke ahead of this weekend’s emotional occasion for Burrow at Headingley.

“He was absolutely magnificent. But that might indicate about his stature as comparable to his ability.

“He was lightning and a real handful and that’s how he played.

“Those big fellas in the middle would much prefer tackling another big ‘un than somebody like that who was light and a will-o-the-wisp type character.”

Speak to Kear or anybody else in the rugby league community about Burrow and they will say the same thing.

Put the undoubted playing skills to one side and he is simply a very nice human being who has been dealt an horrendous hand.

It is just over three weeks since the 37-year-old revealed that he is suffering from the deadly motor neurone disease. But the sport remains numb with the news.

In the same way that football still shares the pain for former Bradford City defender Stephen Darby, once more one of the nice guys has been struck down by this most evil of conditions.

Kear admitted: “I watched Rob being interviewed on Calendar and Look North the other night and it gets me every time.

“Sometimes you get what you deserve and sometimes life’s a s**t and it’s certainly the latter one with regards to Rob.

“You couldn’t meet a better kid, a more polite, endearing fella who was obviously a very, very good rugby league player as well.

“It hasn’t really sunk in yet with the magnitude of it and that’s why we have to do everything we can.

“If there could be a cure found in the imminent future it would obviously be a blessed relief for Rob and everybody else who is suffering from that terrible disease.”

Sadly that medical salvation remains out of reach for Burrow, Darby and all those suffering from the dreaded MND.

For now, it is about strength of character and displaying an unbreakable resolve not to simply give up and give in against odds stacked so heavily against you.

Burrow has already demonstrated that he intends to meet the condition head on – something that does not surprise Kear in the slightest.

“You don’t play international rugby league and big games like that with Rob’s stature without having a heart the size of a dustbin lid.

“I think that will be demonstrated in the biggest fight of his life which he has now undertaken.”

Kear had the privilege of coaching Burrow as a youngster in his role with England A. He knew then that the scrum half would enjoy a glittering career.

Now he feels honoured to be involved in the sold-out meeting between the Bradford Bulls and Leeds Rhinos that will raise funds to support the player and his young family through the turmoil they are facing.

Rugby league is rallying round for one of their own – one who has always made such a positive impression on anyone who has had dealings with him.

“He lives his life in the right way,” said Kear. “He’s a true family man and I haven’t many anybody who has got a bad word to say about the fella.

“He’s genuinely liked, respected and loved throughout the game.”

In a 16-year career with the Rhinos, one-club man Burrow won eight Super Leagues, two Challenge Cups and three World Club Challenges. He became the first player to win the Harry Sunderland trophy twice as Grand Final man of the match in 2007 and 2011.

The smallest man in Super League boasts one of the biggest CVs. But it’s not his medal haul that has prompted such a reaction from those connected to the sport.

Kear added: “Everybody wants to do whatever they can because of the type of fella that Rob Burrow is.

“You look at Sky. It’s massive what they are doing.

“They are putting it on live but all their cameramen, their technicians, production team and the commentary team are doing it for nothing.

“That shows the esteem with which he is held in throughout the game.

"This is about showing him the ultimate respect."