Sam Burgess quits Rabbitohs amid claims of coach’s favouritism for Latrell Mitchell
South Sydney coach Jason Demetriou has bristled at suggestions he is too soft on Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker after club great Sam Burgess dramatically walked out on the club.
On a tumultuous Wednesday at the Rabbitohs’ training centre in Maroubra, Demetriou was forced to dismiss claims that Mitchell and Walker ran the club after Burgess resigned from his role.
Burgess, who was brought back to the club as an assistant coach earlier this year, is believed to have raised concerns with Demetriou about the preferential treatment afforded to Mitchell and Walker.
Players are also understood to have taken issue with the coach’s handling of his fullback and five-eighth.
“Latrell is a big presence, as Sam was when he was playing, but to say that he [Mitchell] is dominating the club… He’s a part of the leadership team,” Demetriou said on Wednesday.
“Cameron Murray is our captain and does a fantastic job as a leader in this club. Is [Mitchell] dominating the club? No, it’s a comment that’s ridiculous. He was out for three months; who was dominating the club then?
“One minute, [everyone] was saying we’re too soft on him, and they’re running the club. And the next minute, it’s [that] I’m falling out with everyone. So which one is it?”
Publicly, Souths have claimed Burgess has left the club due to the impending birth of his child with partner Lucy Graham, who whisked him away from the club’s headquarters shortly after 9 a.m.
Burgess, who was due to leave at the end of this season to take up a role with Super League side Warrington, declined to comment on Wednesday.
He later released a statement that said it was the right time to leave “given the circumstances”.
