George Burgess grateful to Wayne Bennett for keeping him at South Sydney

George Burgess’ time at the Rabbitohs was placed in doubt with speculation the Eels tabled a lucrative offer to poach the English forward from the remainder of his deal at Redfern.

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South Sydney forward George Burgess will play his first game of the season on Saturday but it could have easily been for Parramatta if not for Wayne Bennett.

Burgess’ time at the Rabbitohs was placed in some doubt in January with speculation the Eels tabled a lucrative offer to poach the English forward from the remainder of his deal at Redfern — which ends in 2019.

“If he (Bennett) wasn’t keen for me to stay then I’d be gone, yeah for sure,” Burgess said.

“It was nice to hear from him that he wants me in the team this year. He’s a good man and he’s an honest coach and an honest person.”

George Burgess will play his first game of the season on Saturday. Picture: AAP

With his brothers, Sam and Thomas, having already secured their respective contract extensions at the club, Burgess will undoubtedly attract headlines about his own playing future.

But he insisted a new deal won’t be his main motivating factor this season.

“For me I’m always playing for my pride. If I start thinking too much about it, playing for my future, it’s going to affect me … but I think it will be fine,” he said.

Burgess was forced to watch his side’s undefeated start to the year on the sidelines.

The 26-year was rubbed out of the game for four weeks after he was charged for eye gouging New Zealand’s Dallin Watene-Zelezniak during a Test match in November last year.

Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett wanted George Burgess to stay. Picture: Phil Hillyard

At the time, Burgess copped the punishment on the chin. And now he wants to repay the faith Bennett has shown in him and it starts today against the Manly Sea Eagles at Lottoland.

“If Wayne wanted me to work my way back through reserve grade that would be fine, I respect what the boys have done there,” he said.

“But thankfully he has put me back in starting side. But my space in the team isn’t assured. You have to work every week in this team to keep your spot and he’s given me the chance to win my jersey back.”

LISTEN! Pressure on the Clearys, Ponga’s missing spark and rich pickings for the Blues. Plus Matty’s confrontation with “The Animal”. Don’t miss this week’s episode of The Matty Johns podcast with Paul Kent and James Hooper.