Sam Burgess breaks silence on South Sydney Rabbitohs exit on Matty Johns Show

South Sydney great Sam Burgess has appeared on The Matty Johns Show to break his silence on his dramatic exit as Rabbitohs assistant coach.

Sam Burgess on the Matty Johns Show.

South Sydney great Sam Burgess has admitted he endured “disagreements” with Rabbitohs stars Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker and that he “could do things better” before declaring: “I love Latrell, I love Cody.”

And Burgess could only admit to a “professional” relationship with Souths coach Jason Demetriou.

Burgess walked out of South Sydney last month with one game remaining of the regular season, a game the Rabbitohs lost to miss the finals.

It was alleged Burgess fell out with Demetriou after claiming Mitchell and Walker received favouritism at the club.

It was the culmination of a spectacular on-field collapse with Souths, premiership favourites after round 11, before missing the finals.

“Just on the record, there was a lot of media speculation about Latrell and Cody and me having a go. It’s not the case. I love Latrell, I love Cody. They are great blokes and great people,” Burgess told the Finals Footy with Matty Johns show on Fox League.

“There are things we have disagreements about, of course there are. I think a lot more was made in the press about me, Latrell and Cody but it’s not the case. I love those guys, they’re great boys.

Sam Burgess on the Matty Johns Show.

“Could I do things better? Yeah, of course we could. But that’s not my job. It’s for me to talk to the head coach and then for him to lead that ship. I don’t really want to go back into the details. I went in that morning (he left) to do the best thing for the club.

“I thought that being there, and the distraction around…I made what I thought was the best decision for the team at the time, to get away from there with a few things that had gone on behind closed doors.

“It’s best to leave it there and everyone move on from themselves. As an assistant coach, you can only give your opinion.”

Burgess couldn’t muster up too many kind words when asked by Johns about Demetriou.

“It’s professional,” Burgess said. “We left on mutual terms. I wish him all the best. I love the club, I love South Sydney, it’s part of my DNA. I always want to see them do well.

“I wish Jason and the team all the best for next year. You could call it a professional relationship.”

Burgess denied there was a disproportionate amount of power given to some players.

“I wouldn’t say so,” He said. “I think they’ve got a great leadership model and some guys there.

Sam Burgess breaks his silence on the Matty Johns Show.

This masthead reported Burgess met and wanted Souths to sign Newcastle winger Dom Young but Souths officials stepped in and rejected any deal.

“I did try and recruit Dom. We had a meeting. I was actually on holiday in Byron Bay and I got a call to go and meet Dom on the Gold Coast,” Burgess revealed.

“It’s not really my job to recruit players but I wasn’t too upset (by Souths’ decision). For me, he would have been great and wonderful for Souths.”

Asked whether he saw Souths’ on-field demise coming, Burgess said: “It’s hard because some of the games were tight but some things were uncharacteristic too.

“I feel for the team, I really do. You see all the effort and hard work that gets put in. There are some disappointed guys, for sure. I saw Cameron Murray this morning and you could just feel the disappointment.

“Sometimes confidence and belief, when that goes, it’s hard for some teams to grasp.”

Burgess added: “I have signed (with Warrington) for two years and I will do the two years, for sure. They have been extremely bold in giving me this opportunity so I want to repay that with loyalty.

“If it’s going well then there’s no reason why we won’t stay there but I probably say Australia is home. All the family is here.”