George Burgess won’t play again this season until the preliminary finals, if South Sydney qualify, after the NRL judiciary upheld his two-match ban for contrary conduct on Wednesday night.
The judiciary panel of Royce Ayliffe, Bob Lindner and Mal Cochrane deliberated for 31 minutes before finding against the England forward after he had pleaded guilty to a grade two contrary conduct charge but sought a downgrade.
Burgess will now miss Souths’ elimination final against Cronulla on Sunday and a semi-final a week later if the Rabbitohs progress that far in their premiership defence.
Burgess was charged with the offence after he threw a plastic water bottle from outside the field of play at Sydney Roosters prop Kane Evans during the Tricolours’ 30-0 win on Friday.
“It was a silly act, I reacted to what I saw, I don’t condone what I did, I just have to move forward now,” Burgess told waiting media after the verdict was read out.
“Hopefully as an NRL community we can start getting on with the finals now and look forward to some exciting games.
“Any kids out there watching can learn from my mistakes, I certainly have done.”
The incident was sparked when Souths’ utility Paul Carter threw the ball at Tricolours back-rower Aidan Guerra, after the Roosters star was penalised for slowing the play-the-ball.
As he then left the field to be replaced, Evans picked up the ball and threw it at Carter. Burgess responded by throwing the plastic bottle at Evans’ legs and missed.
Judiciary counsel Peter McGrath described the bottle that Burgess threw with “some force” as a “missile” and said it was only through the prop’s bad aim that it didn’t hit Evans.
McGrath said that throwing something from outside the field of play was provocative and “invited an escalation of the incident”.
In response Burgess’s defence counsel Nick Ghabar said that with his guilty plea Burgess accepted the act was “silly” and “not a good look”. But Ghabar also described it as “trivial” and only worthy of a base penalty.
Ghabar said Burgess’s actions were “pseudo comparable” to Evans’ act of throwing the Steeden and deserved the same grade one contrary conduct charge.
However Evans’ actions were “reprehensible”, “provocative, unnecessary and unsportsmanlike” and “intended to incite a response,” Ghabar said.
The decision is a further blow to the Rabbitohs’ hopes of defending their NRL title.
Burgess will join the suspended Issac Luke and the injured John Sutton on the sidelines for the clash with the Sharks.
The Rabbitohs have lost three matches straight and have conceded 109 points over that period.
mycall
Guest
I said according to NRL Stats, I should have clarified that I meant on nrl.com http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/playerstats/playerprofile/tabid/10898/clubid/11/playerid/2003/seasonid/43/default.aspx I've seen all the games too and they both get the dropsies, as did Sam. Sam made up for it, but he had an error a game in him even last year.
3 Hats
Guest
Send me a link as to where your stat's came from please. I think your guessing @mycall I watch the Souths games every week and many times the experts say George lost the ball When in fact it was TOM! Maybe the Statisticians are the ones making the errors! They are both Identical and when they are running, they look the Same. Also their Numbers have altered all year also e.g. George is in 8 one game...then Tom starts in 8 the next. go figure!
mycall
Guest
Neither of them have the best hands... but according to NRL Stats G Burgess 19 errors this year T Burgess 18 " " "
3 Hats
Guest
It is Tom who drops the ball not George. Have a look...No.17 drops the ball all the time Not No.8!
mycall
Guest
The problem is consistency... how on earth have they decided now, that throwing the ball (Evans infraction) is a punishable act yet, it has been happening at least once a week all year. I hate seeing it, it is petty, childish and unsportsmanlike behaviour but it happens and until now has not been reported. I remember a few weeks ago, Shannon Boyd scoring a try I think against Newcastle and in a real show of bad sportsmanship, threw the ball down on the head of a Newcastle player (maybe Mamo). He was completely unprovoked, it was straight after a try so no way the match review committee could miss it, but that wasn't cited for contrary conduct and Evans and then Burgess were btoh cited... Evans should have been fighting his charge, and only needed to show the thousands of instances where the ball was thrown at an opposition player without so much as a penalty or warning from the referee let alone a charge for contrary conduct!
KillaKanga
Roar Rookie
Sleiman...... LMFAO...Oustanding ! :-)
steveng
Roar Rookie
Makes no difference to Souths losing G. Burgess, at least we won't have him dropping crucial ball at crucial stages, he deserves everything that he gets for being stupid and being intimidated off the field. George, the best way to get intimidated is on the field and to outplay your opposition and not by throwing a water bottle, like a little pre-school kid.
The Barry
Roar Guru
He had to be suspended - you can't have players throwing things at each other on the sideline. But 100% if they've banned punching they need to get rid of players throwing the ball at each other, running in or slapping. It's pathetic.
Samtwocan
Guest
Might be wearing the headgear mmmmm.
Squidward
Roar Rookie
They've had a haircut recently. But I wonder if the NRL has any safeguards of stopping the old switcharoo if they decided to play George in Toms place Sunday fine cotton style?
BlakeW
Guest
A Sharks contract.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
A black belt.
catcat
Guest
What did Maloney get for kicking??
Squidward
Roar Rookie
As Metallica once said "... And justice for all"
Samtwocan
Guest
This has all been as a result of that pommy clown that's been given the top job . I can't remember so much rubbish in all my life .
Emcie
Roar Guru
Don't they have fines for this kind of "offence"?
Johnnyball
Guest
Ridiculous but typical of the oafs in power
KillaKanga
Roar Rookie
What a load of old codswallop , banned for that !!! I hope the clowns that throw footballs at players will be summarily treated as well. No wait , Evans got diddly squat...I forgot, this is the NRL where the rules are made up to placate the nanny state and punishments are purely random.