South Sydney Rabbitohs forward Sam Burgess has officially announced his injury-forced retirement on Wednesday afternoon.
Burgess, who was hampered by a shoulder injury throughout the 2019 season, was limited to just 19 games across South Sydney’s frustrating campaign under new coach Wayne Bennett, and wasn’t the player he once was in the games he did play, averaging fewer metres run and tackles per game than in any season since 2013.
With rumours surrounding his playing future, it’s was widely reported on Wednesday morning that the English forward’s retirement would be confirmed today, and it was in a letter to members at 2pm (AEDT). The Rabbitohs are understood to have fast-tracked the announcement to ensure it is made before the end of the NRL financial year, which is on Thursday, October 31.
What is unclear at this stage is excactly how much of the Englishman’s salary the Rabbitohs will have to foot over the next three years.
The forward, who may go down as the best import to ever play in the NRL, was still contracted to the Redfern-based club until the end of 2022, on a four-year deal which is believed to be worth somewhere around $1 million per season.
South Sydney will now have to work with the NRL to work out how much of that comes out of their salary cap going forward, with the club already going through this situation earlier in the year due to the premature retirement of Greg Inglis.
Burgess’s retirement brings his nine-year stay in the NRL to an end. He made his debut for South Sydney in 2010 and since then has won one premiership, played in multiple finals and stamped his authority as one of the premier forwards in the game.
The Rabbitohs will now be desperate to bolster their forward depth for 2020, given they also lost John Sutton to retirement.
While they do have the recently signed Jayden Su’A and Ethan Lowe at the club, they have also been heavily linked with David Fifita, and more recently, Dragons second-rower Tyson Frizell. Frizell is rumoured to be unhappy at the Red V and has also been linked with the Parramatta Eels.
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
I'd sign Mitchell as FB for Souths under the tutelage of Greg Inglis (coaching staff), will fit in well with the Rabbitohs. Under the Rabbitohs Mitchell will become one of the game's greats. At the Roosters he willl never fit in. Keep AJ on the wing, and Adam D as utility (can also play centre or five eight). The add Fifita and/or Frizell as second row. Love David Fafita but think given we lost Sutton and Sam, we need some maturity and experience in the forwards.
@spruce moose . What rubbish. Go play tiddly winks.
Jimmy
Guest
One less whinging Pom, whaaaaa. Go home now!
Nat
Roar Guru
So the same as Boyd's TPA. Thanks coach :crying:
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
You're in. James Packer sent his negotiator, Dr Evil with a suitcase full of 1 billion, gagillion, fafillion, shabolubalu million illion yillion ... yen. :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
Nat
Roar Guru
Can I play? As James' grand ol' man said once "I'll flip you for it" ;)
Nat
Roar Guru
Ol' coach will pay full ticket for his Boy(d). Allan was very good in the juniors but give him some grace, it is his 1st year. Not that I want him back ;)
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
Did he or did he not represent England BOTH for Rugby League AND Rugby Union? THAT is all that matters for a player to claim "dual international" status. Wendall Sailor, Matt Rogers and Lote Tuqiri were all crap at Rugby Union as well but they are still "dual internationals". And I don't remember any of the self-appointed "experts" mentioning either of those 3 on their list of "Everyone Can Be A Dual International". :laughing:
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
Your argument was Sam’s generation not the last 30 years. You sound like a 2 year old spitting the dummy
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
You are putting Burgess on a pedestal for being a dual international when he was rubbish at Union. Also there have been a few players of his generation play both codes internationally; Radradra, Koroibete, Hunt, SBW and they’ve all gone better at union
Bernie Vinson
Guest
True presumption of innocence appears to be missing here though the AVO is a worry and the fact the Nine /Fairfax paper the Herald still hasnt managed to publish the charge in their hardcopy edition.
Joe Blow
Guest
And here was I thinking that there was a presumption of innocence attached to our legal system.
Cole
Roar Rookie
And Radradra... and Koribete... and we could go on
Cole
Roar Rookie
You obviously didn’t watch his short experiment in Union. He wasn’t great, did he even make the squad that didn’t make it out of the pools stages at 15 World Cup? There are so many good examples of dual internationals that went better than Burgess, just stick to raving about his Clive Churchill medal
Superspud
Roar Rookie
No I meant that two thirds of the players currently playing NRL would be good enough to make the Wallabies if they switched.
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
How many NRL players switch to rugby union? One percent? So you are saying about 1% of NRL players are capable of becoming dual internationals? Yeah, sounds about right.
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
"And the clubs that can take best advantage of it are the Roosters, Souths and the Broncos who all have deep enough pockets" Let's scrap the salary cap altogether GH and find out which club has the deeper pockets. Nick Politis est. $200 million vs multi-millionaire Russell Crowe and multi-Billionaire James Packer. Are you game?
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
"and you can get it’s just a master of time before Darius Boyd falls down a flight of stairs and suffers a career ending injury." Well, Broncos fans can only hope! Hey Nat? :laughing: Meanwhile, Souths have been dealt a blow. I believe the transfer of Corey "the lemon" Allan to the Broncos has fallen through. Apparently Souths were trying to work out a swap for Jamayne Isaako. Someone must have had a word in Anthony "second-year syndrome" Seibold's ear and told him that old Clint was playing him for a sucker! :laughing: How about trading Boyd for Allan Nat with the Broncos to pick up the difference in their respective contract values? Deal? ;-)
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
Morley was one of the worst I have seen in the thirty years I have been following rugby league. At least in the top 3. This was in the era where swinging arms could be excused as ‘a reflex’. He rarely got called out on it though because Phil Gould (during his Roosters period) would always downplay his foul play on the live commentary and the print media always fell in behind the television commentators in their coverage and opinions back then. In the modern internet era, he wouldn’t get away with it.
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
There is a very real risk that will happen. And the clubs that can take best advantage of it are the Roosters, Souths and the Broncos who all have deep enough pockets to pay players not to play. The Broncos are about to make the same play with Gillett, and you can get it’s just a master of time before Darius Boyd falls down a flight of stairs and suffers a career ending injury.