Sam Burgess set for dramatic South Sydney exit after Rabbitohs legend clashed with coach Jason Demetriou over ‘special treatment’ of stars Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker
Sam Burgess heading for dramatic South Sydney exit after Rabbitohs legend clashed with coach Jason Demetriou over ‘special treatment’ from stars Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker
Sam Burgess will reportedly leave the Sydney Rabbitohs as the embattled NRL club look to salvage their season.
According to the The Sydney Morning Heraldthe great Souths will be leaving the club along with fellow assistant coach John Morris, but the reason behind their departure remains unclear.
The surprising development comes after the duo reportedly spoke to Rabbitohs boss Jason Demetriou earlier this week about his perceived special treatment of Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker.
The Rabbitohs board will meet on Tuesday evening to formalize the decision, after the club’s executives met all day to decide on the future of Burgess and Morris.
Should the pair leave the club as expected, Ben Hornby will be Bunnies’ sole assistant coach for the rest of the season.
Sam Burgess (left) is reported to be leaving South Sydney with immediate effect
Rabbitohs boss Jason Demetriou is under pressure for allegedly not holding Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker to the same standards as other players at the club
Burgess would leave the club at the end of the season to return to England and take over as head coach of Warrington Wolves from 2024.
The Super League club confirmed earlier this month that the 34-year-old had agreed a two-year deal to become Daryl Powell’s permanent successor with interim boss Gary Chambers to oversee the remainder of the 2023 season.
On Monday, a report in the Sydney Morning Herald spoke of “growing internal turmoil” in the ranks of the Rabbitohs as Demetriou failed to “hold Mitchell and Walker to the same standards as the rest of the club”.
After following the NRL through the first half of the season, the Rabbitohs are in bad shape and will need to beat old foes the Roosters in the final round to have any hope of playing finals.
With the club struggling, the microscope has been applied to superstars Mitchell and Walker, scrutinizing the $1 million fullback.
Mitchell has been called out for a series of ‘lazy’ incidents both on and off the field.
The fullback will miss the round 27 clash between the Rabbitohs and the Roosters – Souths have a bye this week – as he defeated Newcastle striker Tyson Frizell in his team’s 29-10 loss to the Knights on Sunday.
Demetriou described Mitchell’s elbow as ‘silly’ and Souths opted to take an early plea of guilt and a one match suspension for the fullback, who may have played his last game of the season if the Rabbitohs are not there next Friday manage to defeat the Roosters.
Mitchell has been criticized lately for a string of underwhelming performances
Walker is also under scrutiny after reportedly having a heated clash with head Demetriou following the club’s loss to the Sharks earlier this month
Mitchell was charged with a grade two dangerous contact charge following Sunday’s loss to the Knights and would have risked a two-week suspension had he fought the charge and lost.
It follows a frustrating pattern for Mitchell, whose performance has come under the microscope due to the South Sydney implosion at the end of the season.
Mitchell has been convicted of sin nine times in his career – the most of any player in the NRL besides Victor Radley – and the 26-year-old’s efforts in defense and attack have been heavily criticized following the loss to Newcastle.
The Australia international had not helped his case after he was spotted drinking beer on stage with country singer Luke Coombs in Sydney in the days leading up to the Knights’ defeat.