Cody Walker responds to explosive Sam Burgess claims

Cody Walker has opened up on Sam Burgess’ controversial exit from the Rabbitohs after claims were made about him.

Sam Burgess and Cody Walker.

Rabbitohs superstar Cody Walker has opened up on Sam Burgess’ controversial exit from South Sydney amid claims of ‘preferential treatment’ from coach Jason Demetriou.

Burgess left his role as an assistant coach in the dying stages of the 2023 season, reportedly concerned with the favouritism handed to superstars Walker and Latrell Mitchell.

Speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald in the United States, Walker explained he still is unsure what Burgess meant by the claims and revealed he had gone straight to head coach Jason Demetriou to ask if there was any truth to it.

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“I personally spoke to ‘JD’ [coach Jason Demetriou] about it straight away. I said, ‘Does this happen? Do you feel like that?’ I said, ‘I wouldn’t want to be at a club if that ever happens’,” Walker explained.

It was reported at the time players had also raised concerns regarding Demetriou’s treatment of Walker who was said to have walked out on training on multiple occasions.

“I’m still unsure what that actually meant,” Walker told the SMH when asked about Burgess’ claims.

“There are times on the training park where I do get the s***s. But I don’t walk off training. I never walk off training.

“There are times I get the s***s at training and say what needs to be said. If someone’s not doing their job, I have the right to tell people, right?

Sam Burgess and Cody Walker.

“It’s my job as the senior playmaker in the side. To say I walk off training and do all that sort of stuff, I’ve never really done that.

“It’s just crazy to think someone can do that. Everyone knows that I’m vocal and animated. That’s me wanting to win. I hate losing.

“I can’t stand losing. I’m one of those guys that if someone is not doing their job in the team, I tell them.”

Demetriou also denied the claims and said he was disappointed that the incident cause friction in the team.

“The sense of entitlement or people being given special treatment or allowed to get away with things, it was never accurate in my mind,” Demetriou told the Sydney Morning Herald.

“I can’t control the agendas at play or the information that gets put out there for whatever reason.

“It wasn’t being said in round 11 and 12 [before the Rabbitohs won only four of their final 13 games to miss the finals]. Results create an opportunity for fingers to be pointed – whether that’s internal or external. The best thing to do when things don’t go your way is to stick together.

“That probably didn’t happen – that’s the most disappointing part.”

Originally published as Cody Walker responds to explosive Sam Burgess claims