Knee injury sidelines Rabbitohs forward Sam Burgess for up to six weeks after scan indicates surgery

KEY Rabbitohs forward Sam Burgess will be sidelined for four to six weeks after undergoing an arthroscopy on his knee.

KEY Rabbitohs forward Sam Burgess will be sidelined for four to six weeks after undergoing an arthroscopy to clean out his knee.

"Sam has been battling through with this pain in his knee for a few weeks now and the surgeon says he needs to get it cleaned up so he can perform to his best," Rabbitohs coach Michael Maguire said.

"He hasn't been able to train properly throughout the week yet it shows the character of Sam to continually be putting his hand up and playing in pain as he felt he might be letting his team down if he didn't.

"The surgeon has said it's got to a point where he needs to have it done and now is an opportune time with the bye this weekend.

"Sam will be sidelined for four to six weeks, we know he will rehab his injury properly, and we're looking forward to having him back on the field for the back end of the season."

In other Bunnies injury news, Matt King is expected to be out for six to eight weeks after surgery on a hernia.

And forward Eddy Pettybourne suffered a torn calf muscle in Saturday's warm-up and will be out for between four and six weeks.

In some good news for Souths, high performance manager Troy Thomson reported Roy Asotasi's rehab is on track, with the prop now running and on course to return in the lead-up to the finals. 

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