If Sam Burgess is to be forced into early retirement due to injury, South Sydney should have to face the ramifications.
Specifically, whatever Sam gets paid, they lose from the salary cap.
It may seem a harsh outcome for a club that showed loyalty to one of the greatest players to ever don the cardinal and myrtle, but the Bunnies gambled big time when they signed the Yorkshireman to a long-term deal in the autumn of his career.
Big Sam’s latest contract extension – for four seasons – came about in September 2018, just a few months shy of his 30th birthday.
Now, 30 isn’t exactly over the hill in the professional era, but four years is a long time for a fella who shows little regard for his or his opponents’ wellbeing.
And those four years – which haven’t even technically started, since he was already signed at the Bunnies for 2019 – suddenly stretch into an age when each season is reportedly worth a whopping $1 million (possibly even more, depending which papers you read).
Never mind that Wayne Bennett – who, granted, was not the coach when the contract was signed – has a rule about props not being worth top dollar. How about any player on the field who has little sense of self-preservation, is closer to the end of his career than the start and has a history of injury doesn’t get a long-term, top-dollar deal.
It’s just common sense.
Which is what makes me think that maybe this time, rather than receiving a losing hand, the Bunnies knew exactly what they were doing when Sam got his eye-watering deal.
Specifically, they were shrewdly locking up a player regarded as the best forward of his generation, even though they suspected he wouldn’t see out his deal on the field.
Do you know what Sam was offered by other clubs, which led to his price inflating to a size similar to Cooper Cronk or Cameron Smith?
Nothing. As Sam put it at the time, “I didn’t even go to the market.”
But then, why would you? A middle forward is not going to get more than $1 million for one year, let alone every year for four.
Thus Souths ensured they would never see Sam wearing another NRL club’s colours. I’m sure they hoped he would be playing until the end of 2023, as was planned, but had to have been realistic enough to foresee it not happening.
Particularly since Burgess had already undergone major shoulder surgery – and not just once.
(AAP Image/Richard Wainwright)
Earlier this year, when Burgess was first spending time on the sidelines, Fox Sports News’ Cody Kaye reported the injury was to “the same shoulder that Sam’s had reco’d twice in the past”.
“They’ve found an infection in that shoulder that dates back potentially to those shoulder surgeries several years ago,” Kaye said.
That’s why there are suggestions Burgess’ injury is an existing one – because it is.
Nevertheless, word is that Souths want Burgess to be medically retired, thus receiving his full salary, but with the millions he stands to earn not affecting their future salary cap.
The argument goes that they did it once already this year, with Greg Inglis, so why not again with Burgess?
Well, the problem is that salary cap dispensation for Inglis was provided because he didn’t receive his full payment.
As reported by NRL.com in May:
The Inglis situation is unusual in that he has walked away without being paid the final 18 months of his playing contract, which is believed to be worth about $1 million per season, and will take up off-field employment with Souths.
Had he received full payment for his contract or negotiated a settlement from the Rabbitohs that amount would have been included in the salary cap.
As I said at the time, “Can’t argue that a deal was cut to make Inglis rich without playing if he wasn’t going to take the money.”
However, it is broadly believed Sam wants every penny of what is reported to be $4 million.
And good luck to him.
But by receiving it, Souths will effectively be paying Burgess some $5 million for one season of footy. In effect, he’ll be getting rich without playing.
That can’t be allowed from a salary cap perspective – it doesn’t pass the smell test from a mile away.
Burgess has aggravated an existing injury. If he wants his club to receive salary cap relief, he needs to walk away with a much smaller severance package.
Otherwise, South Sydney should cop the fact they gambled and they lost.
The Phantom Bantam
Guest
Dr Ben Casey,in consultation with Dr Marcus Welby
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
Steve, no one is disputing his contribution to the game and what he has done for the club. I cannot speak for others but from my point of view ,this is more about the system in place in regard to injury retirements mid contract. If you sign a player for 3 years knowing he is busted then you should not expect salary cap exemptions from the NRL to cover your stupidity regardless of the club. Some of these blokes want to play on past their used by dates despite being busted for various reasons and if nothing is in place to ensure the clubs show a strict duty of care they will be quite happy to use these blokes up until they drop dead.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Well anyway, Sam is right up there as one of our best players, I'm proud that the club did the best for his future and not 'brushed him' aside and had nothing to do with him! Whatever happens, Sam has been an asset to South Sydney and whatever he gets 'he deserves' and hopefully, he will stay around and pass his experience on in future years and not go back to Britain. Thanks Sam Burgess for everything that you have done for the bunnies, we are proud of you and we will always consider you as one of our "LEGENDS"!!!
Brainstrust
Roar Rookie
Now that Souths have Packer they get them to retire while paying them off. Bennnett is the master of getting everyone to spend for him.
Zedman
Roar Rookie
Benji defending in the middle, behind several forwards who were glared at if they let one through. He is still playing through his ability to avoid the hard stuff, that’s not a knock to him, it’s the way he plays and has given him added years.
Taki Jones
Guest
Poorly informed article. Sam’s shoulder injury and the sepsis infection are two different components to the injury. The operation was to repair damaged caused during the Warriors game. This has been clarified by the Specialist involved . He went in for routine surgery to repair it which resulted in a Sepsis infection. It’s the infection and what it did to the remedial area that has caused rapid deterioration in his shoulder. They have seen five Specialists and all but one have said he’s not fit to rejoin the sport. The other said it would require further surgery and basically a 3 game on, 3 game off plan. Not feasible.
Big Daddy
Guest
When you buy a second hand car with a 12 month warranty and 18 month's later the gearbox goes do you get stuck with it or ask for you money back.
Albo
Roar Rookie
Happy enough for Souths or any Club to take the risk on a good player with a risky longevity issue do to a history of injury and heavy workloads. But if the punt doesn't pay off, why should they get special cap treatment for taking a risky contract option that didn't pay off ?
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
That would make things tricky. Presumably, they would need the hospital or the doctor to cooperate with providing that information, which you would have to think would leave them open to a negligence claim. Not that medneg is my area.
Peter Quinn
That is totally untrue RJ. I go to the club/oval/cafe Tues, Wed, Thurs every week and I see Greg just about every day I'm there. That is except when he was in Hospital. Sometimes it's best to find out the truth for yourself and not just go off what you hear.
Grandstand
Roar Rookie
If the NRL follow this lead I think SHOULDER GATE will go on for a very long time. I can't see how Souths losing $3,000,000 isn't punishment enough. Why make them pay for team performance as well? If Souths can't get that money taken off their cap, Souths fans will suffer and Mark my words, so too will the NRL. If Souths aren't winning, forget about big crowds at Souths games and semi finals. I'd think this out properly if I was the NRL.
blah blah
Guest
Souths will definitely get salary cap relief for this one.
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
A prudent club doesn’t cut a legendary player loose just because their injuries have caught up to them. A prudent club pays a legendary player according to the risk associated with them. Like Cronulla did with Gallen.
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
Steve you broke a bone, Sam injured and already injured shoulder, this in fact has nothing to do with that infection. What they are now saying is that Sam has a shoulder that is so unstable it is bone on bone. Now having had Shoulder surgery in recent years I know a little about shoulder mechanics and to get so unstable it is bone on bone it sure as hell did not happen overnight. The shoulder is the most complex joint in the body
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
Mind you if that shoulder is that unstable it is now bone on bone as claimed then it did not happen overnight. That is serious stuff going on there so somebody is trying to pull a swifty? Because as far as I am concerned if I am a CEO of club and I am signing a player for 3 years on big money I would want to know that he is fit and capable of fulfilling that contract.
WarHorse
Roar Rookie
How is Sam's case different to the way Brett Stewart and Steve Matai were treated by the NRL?
Watda
Guest
Let me guess..South's fan's will argue this is BS...lol...they alway's seem to pull a bunny out of the hat??...the real rorter's of the NRL will get exposed...Rusty is working on this..
steveng
Roar Rookie
Not necessarily and/or probable even after 2 reconstructions, he was 100% last year and when he signed! Sam was signed because he was a valued and key player 'the best that we had' at the club and not just brush off with a 1 year contract, which would have been an insult! You don't do that and that's is not how its done at Souths, we value our players and loyalty, not like another club 'next door' that uses and abuses its players and says 'ta ta' see yah later!
Superspud
Roar Rookie
Haven't we been through this last week?
Chui
Guest
He will get paid. The question is whether it will be included in the salary cap.