From the Sydney Morning Herald,
WAYNE OR RUSTY? BURGESS FACES TOUGH COACHING CALL
Christian Nicolussi
Sam Burgess would love to return to South Sydney and declared: ‘‘ I gave a lot to Souths, I gave my heart to the club, I’d like to think I’ll be back there at some point.’’
Burgess let slip he was eyeing a return to the NRL on Sunday night while attending a NSW Origin field session after being invited by coach Brad Fittler and his assistant Greg Alexander. The powerhouse Englishman is coaching bush football side the Orara Valley Axemen, and has a strong link with Souths owner Russell Crowe.
He is also close to Wayne Bennett who is looking to make an immediate impact with NRL newcomers the Dolphins next year.
Burgess, who has head coaching aspirations - but whose short-term focus is moving into an NRL club’s high-performance unit - confirmed he needed to weigh up a couple of options, including a Souths homecoming . He remains on the Redfern payroll as part of the medicalretirement payout, which continues until the end of the 2024 season. A third NRL club has also reached out Burgess to start work in 2023.
‘‘ I’ll be back somewhere next year, and I need to make a couple of decisions and weigh up what will be beneficial for all involved, including myself, the club and the longevity of my career,’’ Burgess told the Herald. ‘‘ There’s a bit to think through. I’ve built some great relationships over time, I was always an honest player who took a keen interest in management , teams and leadership. Of course Souths is where I’d like to be, I just have to wait and see.’’
Souths coach Jason Demetriou was happy to roll out the red-andgreen welcome mat for the 2014 premiership winner, while Sam’s brother Tom, who celebrates 200 NRL games this weekend, also threw his support behind a return.
‘‘ Sam is passionate about getting into coaching, and there’s always an opportunity to come back to Souths if he wants to do that,’’ Demetriou said. ‘‘ I enjoy working with him, and I know the players love him as well.’’
Younger brother Tom said: ‘‘ He has that really strong mindset, and if he wants to become a head coach in the NRL, he will do it, and there won’t be much that stops him. Sammy loves the red and green, him and Russell have a strong bond, and he’s up there coaching Orara. If Russell has his way, Sam will be coaching here.’’ Burgess was due to oversee Souths’ SG Ball side before he was forced to stand down from all club duties at the end of 2020 due to an NRL investigation sparked by allegations made by his ex-wife Phoebe. He was later fined $30,000 and given a 12-match ban.
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