Sam Burgess to become a Rabbitoh for life with multi-million dollar long-term deal at Redfern
SAM Burgess will be a Rabbitoh for life with the star forward set to ink a multi-million long-term deal which has the potential to make him the most second-capped player of all-time at the club.
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SAM Burgess is set to ink a multi-million dollar long-term deal which has the potential to make him the second most capped player at the club.
In what is a major boost for South Sydney’s premiership charge on the eve of the finals, Burgess is expected to announce in the coming days that he will remain at the club for at least four more years.
The deal is worth more than $1 million a season, making Burgess one of the highest paid players in the competition and alongside Jason Taumalolo as the only enforcers with a seven figure salary.
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The contract is also expected to include an option for Burgess to remain at the club in a coaching or other off-field position once he retires.
Burgess, who turns 30 in December, is not off-contract until the end of next season. But the new deal will add at least three more years — meaning he will be a Rabbitoh until at least the end of 2022. The contract length could potentially be longer with The Sunday Telegraph understanding those discussions were ongoing.
Barring any major injuries, Burgess who has played 160 top grade games at the club, will become just the sixth player to play 200 games for South Sydney. He could play more than 250 by the time his new deal expires which would see him sit second behind 300-gamer John Sutton for most appearances for South Sydney.
He will turn 34 in the final year of his contract.
The Rabbitohs are also close to re-signing try-scoring flyer Robert Jennings, whose deal expires at the end of this year.
Burgess’ re-signing could have ramifications for his brothers George and Tom. The duo are also off-contract at the end of 2019. While the Rabbitohs are keen to retain both, the salary cap may squeeze one of them out.
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Burgess is about to complete his eighth season at the club having spent the 2015 playing rugby in England with mixed success. He has since settled in Australia with wife Phoebe pregnant with the couples second child.
Burgess is racing the clock to be fit for South Sydney’s first finals appearance since 2015 after straining his hamstring in their 51-10 win against Wests Tigers on Friday night.
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