Sam Burgess - stay or go, just get on with it

Sam can come over to rugby union if he wants to, but he will not make the English team. Great league player but his skills just don't translate unless he thinks he can play centre. I don't think he can.

If thats the case, I said I would be astounded, and I am. Note to self- never underestimate the lure of the dollar again. They've promised him a position more than likely. I have zero knowledge on inside deals, the extra efforts/perks related to his going. They'd give a player like Sam pretty much anything he wanted. If its going ahead, you leave end 2014, 3 years in Union, final year at Souths, you gave 4 years, makes sense.

News Ltd reporting 3 year deal has been agreed to & he will off as soon as Rabbitohs 2014 season ends. RFU want to play him as a centre. http://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/south-sydney-star-sam-burgess-quits-nrl-for-threeyear-english-rugby-deal/story-fndujljl-1226819363565

Dear Writer, Sam Burgess was never sent off in 2013. He got sin binned once. Get your facts right.

well said, Im 34, and im much of the same opinion. Just like to add my sentiments are the same. And much is being made of female involvement in league now, its recognition, teething problems, most likely.

Well, great comments finally, few above that too. The wider issue. For what its worth, the screenames in question, ive noticed it too, there is something beneath the surface of many of the comments at times, its a passive-aggressive snideness, like its a counterfeit post designed with a sting. People in general have good and bad days, and frankly most people are fond of Sam as it is, could have all added to it. I dont actually think it was about this issue at hand, it was simply their mood and their manner in which they do things. I dont think its cool, because this site is good, but it went through a period of time I didn't even come to it, because several posters were too disruptive/passive agressive/insecure/abusive - which I can take that, but I don't have to tolerate it. Especially when discussion/information and opinion exchange is the primary concern here. Also articles were continually hyjacked by guys from other sports to stir trouble. Much of that has subsided since the ARLC took over/Dave Smith, quality management years; no guesses as to which ones are the "gawkers" instead of fans. It was a period where no one was allowed to side with rugby league, it always had to be rugby league taking the pounding (because of the negative and outside influenced bias). --- Im saying that I noticed some of that creep in up there. This is not a criticism, just a point Ive noticed for those interested: Tactically the Gender Card had its height in the late 90s, people diffuse it now as we are more and more an equal society; that was good advice from league girl, and generally females are more confident and assured these day: we after all are not a society like Saudi Arabia where women can't even drive ******************************************** WITH THIS kind of thinking, women being more capable, there's this tendency among some men to disregard the feminine qualities of women and use that against them, as in the men are 'superior' or above, and if you are investing in emotions or diaries, ect, ect, then thats not good enough, thats beneath them. Its a weird social issue because on the one hand, we dont want to neuter men, and yet on the other, as a society sometimes people are asking women to be more masculine. Its strange, but its definitely not how it should be. I dont think as a society, especially in the teenager to 20-something age bracket we have maturity in these areas yet to accept the whole. ******************************************** Though must say, one can never be sure how old the posters are, so my words should be taken with a grain of salt. We can't expect Cattle to sit nicely in the Dining Room, nor can we expect young people to fully grasp the impact of their actions. For an article so much effort was put into, its got to suck to get that kind of response, even from a few. I guess I am calling the mods to be on the ball more. But good its all worked out openly, but I'm not kidding, that was reprehensible what happened and is why I had to speak up -- this is a contribution site and people should not belittle others contributions when they take time to contribute.

No probs Zee cheers

Well said, LeagueGirl, for what it's worth. And while I think Zee went looking for something that wasn't there, unnecessarily tried to start a gender war and unfortunately came off a bit Clementine Ford-ish, it doesn't make sense for any bloke on here to be 'anti-woman' - you're our wives, girlfriends, sisters and Mums. And to me, the overwhelming majority of posters here are aware of that. All good.

Great post and the fairest one that i have read from a neutral fan since the GF.Looking forward to the WCC and can't wait for the 2014 season to start....Templeman sound like he has some ability and i'm looking forward to watching him play.Doggies did ok last season considering the Barber issues and should make the finals again this year and anything can happen from there.

It's kind of ironic I hated him with a passion in the way he left but I couldn't hate the guy last year no matter how hard I tried! After the welcome back by Sam Burgess in his first game, ( I was joining along with the Souths fan flipping him the bird and screaming "HELL YEAH WELCOME BACK MOFO") I really couldn't fault him. I don't think he made an impact like everyone expected. His signature shoulder charge was removed from the game so I was disappointed. He made a mockery of my Doggies though. His off loading was on point most games and his second half in the Grand Final showed some individual brilliance. IMO he won the game for your team with that break in the 71st minute. I think if he had ran straight after DCE missed his tackle at the 20 meter mark he would've scored himself. He only had Wolfman trying to cover at the back but he would've easily destroyed him. Wolfman was woeful the whole game! Don't think I can remember anyone that played nearly as bad as him in a Grand Final. He won a premiership so I think it was definitely a successful comeback in that respect. However, SBW got lucky with the Roosters. The team was a great outfit right from the start. Was surprised at how Maloney and Pearce played. Maloney for me was the best in form player from the Chooks last year. Jennings played some of his best footy too. Thought he reached his peak at the Bunnies. The team with or without SBW would've still won the GF. Although, he does add that 'x factor' and star power. Somehow the guy has a knack for picking premiership prone winning teams. His first year at the Doggies he won a premiership. His first year back from exile at the Roosters he wins a premiership. And if I recall correctly, before he came back to RL he won a premiership with the Chiefs in RU. The stars seem to be aligning for the guy everywhere. I'm so glad he decided to stay in the NRL this year. Looking forward to seeing him in action along with whole Roosters team in the WCC. Show them Wigan boys how we do things down here! :) ST xxx

How do you feel about SBW these day's and how successful he's return to the NRL was? Full disclosure - I am a Roosters fan....

Thank you for your services to our game Sammy, although I still think your best years are ahead of you, I wish you luck if you are indeed switching codes. There's nothing wrong in chasing a big payday for a stable financial future. Besides, I think the twins, especially George will eclipse you as the bigger Burgess star, provided he works on his discipline in defense. You wrote a great article from a Souths fans perspective. I really enjoyed it. I felt the exact same way when SBW left the Doggies. (I live in Parra heartland now, my loyalties are split these days so it doesn't hurt as much as it use to). I've come to learn that just like in life, we take up the job offers that secure our financial future for our children and grand children. We attach our selves and get emotionally invested in our teams and players that when rumors and speculation like this occurs, it invokes a passion and feeling inside us that we usually reserve for immediate family members. When SBW walked out, I felt like he was walking out on my family. That sh!t really hurts. I mean, how dare he walk out on the game and team that made him a superstar? MY game, MY team? Trust me, I know the feeling well. At least be comforted in the fact that, if the rumors are true, Sam Burgess would not walk out on his team like that. Don't think he would with his three brothers still at the club anyway. There are plenty of juniors to fill the void. And after reading the comments, Zoe, you disappoint me with bringing up your gender to counter act some of the comments addressed at your piece. Granted, I probably would've taken it the same way when I saw the references to 1D/diaries but nevertheless, the poster didn't really mention anything about your gender. Insinuating he may have been, but we should be smart enough to know the very few minority of men in RL seem to be in that mind and time warp that women's opinion is still inferior to theirs when it comes to all matters RL, therefore any digs at our gender is game to them. These people are very few, far and in between. But in saying that, most of the comments have been very much about your piece and not about your gender. Don't be so defensive, well at least, that's how I read your responses. The gender card, IMO, was overplayed in some of your responses. I'll admit I've used my gender to counteract some of the comments directed at me in other forums. It's somehow a go to mechanism when the subject of RL is discussed with us females. I think that a lot of it can be down to the portrayal of women in the NRL by the media all these years. But thankfully things have progressed a great deal these days. Lighten up a bit. It's just an opinion. The gender card should be locked, stocked and barreled. We are above all that sh!t. I'm fairly new to commentating here on Roar (been a long time lurker though) so looking forward to reading more of your pieces. It's great to see a female perspective on this site. Cheers ST xxx

Zee, No harsh feelings, i think most people make hot-headed rants on this site at times including myself. There's plenty of times where debates get out of hand on the roar every day.... as long as they are debating what's written rather than attacking the person it's normally pretty contructive. My original comment certainly didn't attack you but debated the content, as i wrote yesterday sorry if it offended you. Hopefully you're having a better day today ;) Pot Stirrer, You're living up to your name here bud, quit stirring and grow up.

Are Souths on selling strategy? Sold Leagues Club. Rusty tried to sell his stake in Souths but no buyers. Homes a Court trying to sell his stake to Packer. Trying to sell Sam B. to Bath rugby. And trying to sell out of being renters in Chalmers Street if they can get a handout for Heffron Park. What next? A trailer park? Cripes.

I have to agree with you there AR. It's one thing to criticise an article, and another to 1) attack respondents personally because of their gender 2) resort to name-calling when doing so ("douche"...really?). No moral equivalence there, unfortunately. And not sure if you know who Clementine Ford is, but this is her modus operandi and she lets herself (and those she claims to represent) down, immensely, to put it mildly. All people see is a female not being able to take criticism and playing the gender card to sielnce these criticisms. In my opinion, and from what I've seen, your counter-criticisms have much the same flavour. Understand you've had a bad day, it happens to all of us, fair enough, sorry to hear. But please, let's avoid being the Daily Telegraph here, the Roar is better than that. You'll find that people's arguments get taken apart pretty ruthlessly here (I've copped it heaps of times) and that's the nature of the game, regardless of whether you're male or female. Nothing wrong with enthusiastic and robust responses to your pieces, good stuff. It's the name-calling or looking for gender-wars that aren't there which do your piece a bit of a disservice. And, for what it's worth, I don't get Queensland's love affair with Billy Slater. Inglis is the game's best fullback (when he actually decides to do something...). Cheers and keep up the good work.

Michael Crocker was refused a visa to England because he had a conviction for affray, so the Rabbtohs signed him. Fergo won't get a visa to England because he has a criminal conviction as a sex offender. Will the Rabbitohs sign him? Funny that Crowe gets visas because he has a conviction in New York for assault. And if the NRL won't let Ferguson play because he has a conviction, why did the NRL let Crowe buy a club in 2006 when he was on a good behaviour bond for a 2005 conviction for bashing a receptionist? Surely club owners should also be of good character.

I agree Von. My original comment was my opinion - my response to the article, which I thought was pretty ordinary. Zee claimed it was an attack on her because she's female - which it wasn't at all. It seemed to descend from there which is a shame.

You happy and feel better about yourself now renegade, You must feel like a real "PRO" getting someone to cave into your arrogance. And Zee, im disapointed you let these so called gurus (in their own heads anyway) discredit what most readers took the way it was meant.