NRL 2023: Wayne Bennett’s message to Sam Burgess ahead of Warrington move

Wayne Bennett says Sam Burgess will make an outstanding rugby league head coach if he follows one piece of advice as the South legend refuses to rule out a return to the NRL.

Wayne Bennett says Sam Burgess will make an outstanding rugby league head coach - as long as the rampaging former South Sydney enforcer doesn’t expect every player to be as great as Sam Burgess.

It comes as the man Bennett rates as “courageous” and “good a leader as I’ve ever coached” opened up about a personal philosophy Burgess plans to take with him back home to England to prepare for his first head coaching job at Warrington.

Burgess will soon depart to get ready for Warrington’s pre-season return in November, where the legendary forward will kick off a two-year coaching deal.

Burgess has also left the door open to return to the NRL as a head coach in the future.

“At some point. Whenever it is right,” Burgess said as when asked if he wants to come back to coach in the NRL.

“But I will be loyal to Warrington.

Wayne Bennett says Sam Burgess has all the ingredients to make a great head coach.

“They have shown great courage in hiring me.

“I am not making any bold statements.

“I will go over there and enjoy myself and get the job done.

“I have not said a lot about it because I don’t think that helps me.

“I am excited for sure. I am really excited.

“I am going to a great club, they have got some great players.”

Asked what style of coach he wants to be, Burgess didn’t beat around the bush.

“I have spent my whole life being authentic,” Burgess said. “I won’t change. For me it is a natural thing. It is not something I have studied to do. It is something I have grown up doing.

“Obviously playing, but also influencing people on the field is a natural thing. I am just myself. And I think I will coach that way, or I will coach that way. Be myself. Be authentic.

“It has always been important to me.”

But while Bennett has no doubt will be a success at coaching, he warned the 34-year-old not to expect everyone to have all the traits that made Burgess so great as a player.

Sam Burgess with fiancée Lucy Graham and newborn Robbie.

“He is as brave a player as I ever coached,” Bennett said.

“He is as courageous as I ever coached.

“And he is as good a leader as I’ve ever coached.

“He ticks every box.

“And he doesn’t want to lose his passion.

“But he has also just got to sometimes pull it back a little bit so it doesn’t crowd what he is trying to achieve.

“I think Warrington are very fortunate to have him.

“As long as he is patient and understands that everybody hasn’t got his commitment, and everybody hasn’t got his willpower, and everybody hasn’t got his character.

“He has got to work with a lot of guys who don’t have all those things.

“But you can get them there and you can help them get there as well.”

Bennett’s message comes in the aftermath of Burgess’ ugly split with South Sydney after butting heads with Jason Demetriou.

Sam Burgess and Jason Demetriou didn’t depart on the best of terms.

While the Rabbitohs never came out and said exactly what was behind Burgess’ shock departure in the final weeks of the regular season, it is no secret Burgess did not agree with some of the standards not being met within the playing group.

Burgess’ only previous coaching experience prior to his stint at the Rabbitohs was last year when he was in charge of the Arara Valley Axemen on the NSW north coast.

Bennett said he had marvelled at the influence Burgess had on the players and the community after attending a few games.

“I absolutely admired what he did,” Bennett said.

“He took a club that had been out of the comp for some years and he got all the local people engaged because of his passion.

“And he got them to the grand final.

“I went to about three games down there.

“I went to the grand final and he didn’t know I was coming.

“And these guys were just bush footballers playing their hearts out for him.

“They loved him.

“That is the passion he brings.”

Originally published as NRL 2023: Wayne Bennett’s message to Sam Burgess ahead of Warrington move