Buzz: George Burgess blight highlights huge NRL flaw

George Burgess needs to be banned for the rest of the season given it is his second gouging offence in seven months. But there’s another problem the NRL must address.

Rabbitoh's George Burgess on report for eye gauge on Tiger's Robbie Farah during NRL match Wests Tigers v South Sydney Rabbitohs at Bankwest Stadium. Picture. Phil Hillyard

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The NRL has a huge problem with the send-off rule that needs to be urgently addressed.

That only two players have been sent-off in the last six year years is a joke.

That George Burgess wasn’t sent-off for eye-gouging on Thursday night is a disgrace.

This is a despicable act not even acceptable in UFC.

Burgess needs to be banned for the rest of the season given it is his second gouging offence in seven months. He has no place in the game while his behaviour is so reckless and so dangerous.

But why wasn’t he sent off and why were the Rabbitohs allowed to continue with 13 men.

The officials who ignored the obvious video evidence and didn’t tip to the referee need to be sacked.

George Burgess was put on report for an alleged eye gouge. Picture: Phil Hillyard

The game decided to get tough this week on crusher tackles and the late hits on playmakers.

Todd Greenberg and the commission need to get tough on ALL acts of foul play.

Your columnist has been campaigning for years to bring back send-offs for the more serious offences.

Putting offenders on report for blatant acts of thuggery is an easy cop out.

Back in the 1980s I covered all the big eye-gouging judiciary hearings.

I can still hear the voice of Jim Comans telling Les Boyd in 1984 that he was banned for 15 months.

LISTEN! In a special one-on-one interview Matty sits down with Sam Burgess to talk through the highs and lows of his career, his desire to play at Manly and his venture into rugby union.

I was there in that same pokey little room at Philip St headquarters three years later when Steve Linnane copped 20 weeks for eye-gouging Greg Alexander.

Gary Freeman got 12 weeks and Mark Geyer 10 weeks.

It was understandable in the old days if players were not always sent from the field.

These days with the bunker and TV cameras covering every angle on a football field there are no excuses for leaving thugs on the field of play.

The NRL has a huge problem with the send-off rule that needs to be urgently addressed.

George Burgess should be the last player to get away with it.

The Rabbitohs also need to take a leadership stance on the player.

Considering it will be his second gouging suspension this year, Burgess should be heavily fined by the club under the code of conduct clause in all NRL contracts.

Originally published as Buzz: George Burgess blight highlights huge NRL flaw