Stints at Morpeth, the tourist information centre and the back of a beloved black van have culminated in his most recent venture in Church Street where many drop by for a morning hit of caffeine and a daily dose of conversation.

But wind the clock back and Burke, also the deputy mayor of Maitland, was known around the city for his prowess on the rugby league field rather than his skills as a barista.

The crafty little halfback won four premierships with the Maitland Pickers and represented Newcastle, NSW Country and NSW in a playing career that spanned between 1965 and 1977.

During that period Burke was awarded the city's highest individual sporting accolade on two occasions, being named Maitland Sportsperson of the Year in 1971 and 1972.

The 67-year-old Tenambit man can recall winning the first award but, amazingly, didn't find out about the second until years later.

"I never knew I won the second one,"Burke said. "It wasn't until 20 years later that I read about the second one in the paper."

Burke's introduction to rugby league and indeed the Pickers was much like this unexpected surprise.

Having played Australian football while at primary school at St Ethel's it wasn't until he shifted to Maitland Boys' High, now Maitland High School, that he picked up the new code.

Injuries to key players in 1964 then paved the way for the West Maitland junior to progress rapidly through the ranks at the Pickers in 1965, which saw the teenager take on the halfback role in a Newcastle Rugby League premiership.

The rest they say is history and he played a hand in three more titles (1969, 1971, 1973) for Maitland while appearing in five straight grand finals.

Between 1968 and 1973 he was part of the Newcastle and NSW Country representative circuit and in 1974 skippered NSW Country on a tour of New Zealand.

And in two years he was called up to play for NSW, once in Newcastle and another in Queensland where he scored two tries and kicked a goal from the sideline.

Selecting a career highlight was a difficult choice for the talented sportsman turned businessman and councillor.

"You never forget running out onto the SCG in front of 40,000 people and the most memorable performance might have been in 1969 when our Country seconds beat a City seconds team that had nine internationals including John Raper, Bob Fulton and Bill Smith," Burke said.

"Scoring 11 not out for Combined City at Robins Oval and going around Newcastle Golf Course in par in a round of the club championships were up there as well."

Burke remains one of only two people to have won the Maitland Sportsperson of the Year award in consecutive years and one of just four to earn multiple entries on the honour roll alongside rugby union prop Christian Adams (1993, 1994), champion swimmer John Callaghan (1967, 1970) and fellow Pickers great Terry Pannowitz (1966, 1968).

Burke and Pannowitz fly the rugby league flag with past winners Jim Morgan (1963), Ken Shine (1973) and Mark Hughes (1997).