SAM Burgess’ new rugby league role has been confirmed as the world-renowned star reveals why he rejected Wayne Bennett’s offer of a job at the Dolphins.
Burgess will be one of Jason Demetriou’s assistant coaches at the South Sydney Rabbitohs, but he had the chance of joining Bennett and former St Helens boss Kristian Woolf at the new NRL side for 2022.
That being said, the lure of joining back up with the Rabbitohs and good friend and owner Russell Crowe, was too good to turn down.
“I speak to Wayne a lot, still great mates with him, so he’s good (with the decision),” Burgess told Fox Sports.
“It would have been a great opportunity but just the chance to be back at Souths, closer to my kids, back at the club I play for and the one that means the most to me, it was too hard to pass up.”
Demetriou has revealed that Burgess has still been training on the field and the former Wakefield Trinity hero believes the latter could still play the game if it wasn’t for his injury.
“He’s going great and still running around, the big fella,” Demetriou said of Burgess.
“If he didn’t have a dodgy shoulder, I could probably play him.
“He’s been good, he brings a lot of energy and is keen to learn. He knows this club inside-out so having his experience in and around the place will be valuable.”
