Sam Burgess’ startling revelation after latest injury blow

Sam Burgess was told to play at just 80 per cent. But his competitive spirit got the best of him and the South Sydney skipper now faces another stint on the sidelines.

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South Sydney skipper Sam Burgess has made the startling revelation he was instructed to play at just 80 per cent in­tensity in a bid to protect his weary body.

The plan evaporated after Burgess suffered another setback when he couldn’t resist going at full stretch in South Sydney’s shock 14-6 loss to Canterbury on Saturday night.

Burgess is now in doubt for the clash against former coach Anthony Seibold’s Brisbane side in what is looming as a ­season-defining game for the Rabbitohs on Friday night.

Burgess strained his already damaged quadriceps when chasing down Canterbury’s Will Hopoate in the dying ­stages on Saturday. While Burgess finished the match, he did so with an obvious limp.

“Competitively I tried to chase down Will Hopoate at the end there and I felt a twinge,” Burgess said.

Sam Burgess faces another stint on the sidelines. Picture: AAP

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“Hopefully it’s not too bad. What can you do? It’s hard to assess right now.

“I’m just going off the feeling. I felt it go. That break at the end there and when I’ve tried to chase down Will, stupidly, I didn’t need to do it, but it was the competitive edge.

“Thankfully I pulled out of it and I pulled up. Hopefully the damage is not as bad as first thought.”

Burgess was pushed into the front-row for the first time this year in a bid to reduce his explosiveness. It was a plan by the Rabbitohs to protect their star player, who has battled to get on the field this year.

“I wasn’t really over 80 per cent all night,” Burgess said.

Sam Burgess played in the front-row against the Bulldogs. Picture: AAP

“That was the plan, just to try and get into stride.

“In the middle you don’t move as fast as often. You have to listen to your body. I was playing in the middle so I wasn’t moving as fast or as often.”

Burgess, 30, featured in the opening 13 games of the season but has played just twice since. He had a minor shoulder operation which was complicated by a severe infection.

He missed South Sydney’s Round 21 match against Melbourne because of the same quadriceps strain and the new injury feels like the one which ruled him out of the Storm clash.

But he is refusing to rule himself out of Friday’s match against Brisbane.

“Not yet,” Burgess said.

Sam Burgess hopes to recover in time to face the Broncos. Picture:

“I did the first one on a Thursday before a Saturday game. I was close [to playing]. With six days, we’ll see how we go. We’ll be smart at training and go from there.

“I did the first one on a Thursday before a Saturday game. I was close [to playing]. “With six days, we'll see how we go. We'll be smart at training and go from there.

“It’s frustrating. I’ve been as fit as I’ve been for two or three years leading into a season, so it’s disappointing. It’s part of the game and you need to move on with it. It’s one thing after the other at the minute. It will build a bit more resistance.”

The Rabbitohs dropped outside the top four with their third consecutive loss and will be without centre Braidon Burns for the rest of the season with his third hamstring tear.

Originally published as Sam Burgess’ startling revelation after latest injury blow