No-one expected the southerners to beat the highly-rated Auckland-based side, especially on its own turf.
But what followed was a remarkable 90min of football which earned the Dunedin Technical side a permanent spot on the club's honour board.
The then 19-year-old striker scored the third of the four goals and was named man of the match.
"At the time they [Waitakere City] were one of the best teams in New Zealand," Burgess said.
"We were written off by most of the media.
No-one really expected us to win and we went up there and turned them over.
"To score a goal in the Chatham Cup final, to be named man of the match and to win was, for me, a magical day.
I still look back at that as one of the best days in my career."
Burgess, now 29, hopes for a repeat when Technical plays Miramar Rangers, of Wellington, in the Chatham Cup quarter final at the Caledonian Ground in Dunedin tomorrow.
Miramar has been one of the premier club sides in New Zealand for many years.
It is a tough opponent, but Burgess is quietly pleased.
"Funnily enough, it was Miramar we beat in the quarterfinals in Dunedin that year, as well, so hopefully, that's a bit of an omen."
Burgess, born in Invercargill, joined Dunedin Technical when he moved to the city to attend university.
After he finished his studies Burgess played football professionally in Ireland for six months and Australia for five years.
He returned to his old club this season and has been in good touch, scoring 21 goals so far.
He is also the leading goal-scorer (14) in the Soccersouth premier competition.
"I guess a lot of the boys are looking to me to let them know what it feels like to play in these big games.
When you go into the club there is a big picture of the team that won that trophy that day and I guess they all look at that and say `We want to be on the wall as well'.
"Everyone wants to win the league but there is just something special about the Chatham Cup."
Tech has not had the best build-up for the quarter final.
It was thrashed 5-2 by Caversham last weekend in the premier league.
Perhaps the team was not as focused as it should be, Burgess said.
But rather than dwell on the loss, he believes some good can come from the heavy defeat.
"Sometimes a loss can make you sit back and look at yourselves a bit more.
So I don't think it was a bad thing.
It was not great for our league situation, but for the Chatham Cup, it was probably a good result for us.''
