The NRL has launched an investigation into allegations of serious misconduct by South Sydney and former player Sam Burgess.
Sam Burgess has stood down as assistant coach of South Sydney as the NRL and NSW Police launch an investigation into serious misconduct claims.
The NRL has been shocked by allegations published in The Australian on Friday and has instructed its integrity unit to speak to South Sydney officials.
The newspaper report alleged drug use and domestic violence by the former Rabbitohs captain, behaviour which was then alleged to have been covered up by the famous NRL club.
Burgess, an integral part of Souths’ NRL premiership success in 2014, denies the allegations.
His lawyer told The Australian “the allegations are false and constitute indefensible defamation against my client”.
South Sydney will cooperate with the investigation and in a statement said they are treating the allegations with the utmost seriousness.
“There is no place in our society for violence, harassment or abuse against women,” the statement read.
“If anyone is found guilty of allegations of this nature, the club will take the strongest possible action.
“The club takes issues of drug use very seriously and has well-established policies and procedures in place around the use of performance-enhancing or illicit/recreational/prescription drugs.”
The 31-year-old Burgess has also stood down from his role with Fox Sports as a rugby league analyst, confirming so in a one-line statement.
“I have today stood down from all work commitments,” Burgess said.
Speaking on Friday, NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo stressed the seriousness of the allegations but said no action will be taken on Burgess or the South Sydney club on allegations alone.
It comes just two days before Souths play a sudden-death finals match against Newcastle at ANZ Stadium.
“(The timing is) obviously disappointing. We’ve worked so hard this season to get to where we are and we want the focus to be on the football, however, these are really serious matters and serious allegations,” Abdo said hours before the NRL’s finals series kicks off in Sydney.
“We will put all our resources into getting to the bottom of what occurred.”
The NRL learned of the allegations late on Thursday night as the report was published online.
Abdo said the NRL would take as long as needed to get to the truth.
“This is new information to us. We will act on it, we will investigate and take the appropriate action,” Abdo said.
“We have a track record of doing this and we will continue to do it.
“It’s important that people feel safe and it’s important that we take our responsibility in society very seriously.
“However, we need to let the course of justice flow and make sure that any allegations are tested before we decide what actions are appropriate.”
NSW Police have also begun an investigation into the allegations after a report was made to The Hume police district on Wednesday.
Burgess was medically retired by South Sydney in 2019 with a chronic shoulder injury that ended his 182-game NRL career.
He has since worked in a development role with the club and this season became an assistant to coach Wayne Bennett.
The Englishman famously led the Rabbitohs to the 2014 premiership in a 30-6 victory over Canterbury.
It was a historic night for the club and Burgess, who broke his eye socket and cheekbone early but played on to claim the Clive Churchill Medal.
Danny
Guest
C'mon mate get to it! I'll be checking later on tonight that you've made that donation! It's good to see the same old 7 "Internationalists" have already done so
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
seriously, get a life cos stalking is a disturbed act.
Danny
Guest
Annnnddd we have another petition and go fund me for Rugby League popping up over night Cathar hahaha. I hope you donated to the last one. I'll be checking to make sure mate
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
off your meds again?
Danny
Guest
I already told you most players wouldn't be able to count to 5 Cathar. You dont need half a brain to play the sport. Its just lucky you're there to vote gor the Brazilian Rugby League team because it's not like any actual Brazilians know what the sport Is..
Gold Coast Bunny
Roar Rookie
No comment is not an admission of guilt. Of the 4 jury’s i have been lucky enough to to serve on the prosecution’s main witnesses on two of them, who both swore they saw an alleged assault in one case and sale of drugs in the second were both found out by the defence. In the assault case the witness was adamant he saw the defendant commit the assault. It was found that where he was when he claimed to have witnessed it didn’t not have sight lines to where the assault occurred. The second the witness claimed he saw the defendant selling drugs from a vehicle that the defendant didn’t own or have possession of until 1 month after the alleged offence. The defence produced the bill of sale and receipts for transport of the vehicle interstate that this was fact. Maybe I am influenced by the fact that the police charged and the the DPP proceeded with the prosecution but had no answer or alternative to these facts. Just because he wouldn’t engage with a newspaper and confirm or deny proves nothing however if this occurs in a court of law and he won’t deny it then I will happily agree with you. I won’t be part of a trial by media or a lynch mob.
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
The allegation was put to the Doctor and he didn’t deny it. A jury would convict on that.
Gold Coast Bunny
Roar Rookie
Mate read the article as well as other ancillary documentation. I agree they have the script written by the Dr to Hooke as well as the credit card receipt for payment by Hooke as evidence. But they havent linked that to Burgess apart from Hooke’s stating that it was administered to him by the Dr. on this basis it remains he said/he said which is not proof enough for me to convict.
Danny
Guest
I'm not a Rah Rah Cathar for the 54th time mate. But totally agree on the right wing side. You Leftys are a dying bunch. Where you reside is the last remaining left wing area in the state. It's why I stay away.. Ps you better make the donation to the cry for help
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
You need to actually read the article. It contains a pharmacy receipt for the dodgy prescription with both the name of Mitchell Hooke and the dictir on it.
Ian_
Roar Rookie
They always say that. It means nothing.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
you sound like a right wing nutter with the way you think people should act & follow otherwise death to all. No wonder union people have a predilection to fasc!sm/naz!sm
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
you do know union clubs are scrambling to survive massive losses but oh yes only RL should ride out covid without any consequences. Goose.
Davico
Roar Pro
Hahaha! How is it up to him to prove you wrong? You made the statement that had ZERO to do with what was being discussed on this thread! Got any proof of any of the rest of what you just wrote either? (Not sure what it has to do with ANYTHING being spoken about on this thread though) Must be one large Tin sombrero who are rocking! I would have thought that if you think you are being stalked on the internet by someone, you would contact the authorities, or the mods of the sites where it is happening.
Danny
Guest
Cathar have you contributed to the next Rugby League Gofundme cry for help? It seems playing on a cow paddock in front of nobody doesnt make any money hahaha By the looks of the contributors it's the same 15 people putting the Money in. I think we need an Internationalist drive to get more people to care. What are your thoughts Cathar?
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
It's up to Mr Alias to prove me wrong but I doubt a bloke who stalks several people on the net (his latest is to say I voted for a logo of the Brazil team on a English RL website, as an example to the lengths he follows people around on social media) would earn what Burgess would earn. I'd put a pretty good bet on that!
Davico
Roar Pro
"The hardest thing poor Sammy would have to do is count to 5 and Id reckon he’d struggle doing that" = Assumption "Yet he earns more money than you do" = Statement of fact. Please provide your evidence!
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Yet they can make assumptions, right I think I got it. Hypocrites.
Tight-Head
Roar Rookie
Obviously Sam is the main story here, but if the allegations about South's involvement are true (and if they aren't Souths may well end up owning NewsCorp) you have to wonder how many other Souths players have been written prescriptions and undergone drug tests under fake names...
Davico
Roar Pro
Not really Not all of the allegations contained in the story are criminal actions so will not "fall under the remit of the justice system"! The NRL has every right to start their own investigation into allegations they believe have brought the game into disrepute, or break their code of conduct. What part of that do YOU not get?