Matty Johns warns Souths will regret releasing Burgess as weakness exposed

Premiership winner Matt Johns has blasted the Rabbitohs’ decision to part ways with club legend Sam Burgess this week.

Sam Burgess on his way out the door. Picture: Julian Andrews

Premiership winner Matt Johns has blasted the Rabbitohs’ decision to part ways with club legend Sam Burgess this week.

Souths have been engulfed in controversy this week with infighting leading to Burgess’ departure after he accused head coach Jason Demetriou of double standards.

Burgess left his post as assistant coach just a week out from finals because he felt his views were not being heard.

Players raised concerns that Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker were receiving preferential treatment from the second-year coach and Burgess put it to the coach.

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The disagreement escalated and even high level crisis meetings involving Rabbitohs co-owner Russell Crowe couldn’t stop Burgess from sticking to his guns and quitting.

Johns said he was “shocked” to see the man who captained Souths to a drought-breaking premiership in 2014 turfed out the door.

Matty Johns blasted South Sydney.

“I am blown away by it. I don’t know the nuances of what is going on there, but if Sam Burgess says we have a problem here, then guess what? We have a problem here,” he said on The Matty Johns Podcast.

“I am really shocked by it. They have two weeks to get their sh*t together, they have a big game coming up against the Roosters.

“When you are trying to get your sh*t together and you are consolidating and getting everyone going, Sam Burgess in my opinion would have been manna from heaven, he is the sort of bloke you need.

“When you are trying to get your sh*t together and you are consolidating and getting everyone going, Sam Burgess in my opinion would have been manna from heaven, he is the sort of bloke you need.”

Sam Burgess leaving the club on Wednesday. Picture: Julian Andrews

The Bunnies were on top of the table after Round 11 but are now in danger of missing finals if they lose their final game to arch rivals the Roosters.

Johns believes the players have an inflated opinion of their ability to win games at will.

“The back half of this year I have said often at times about South Sydney, South Sydney are an absolutely outstanding football side that lull themselves into thinking they can flick the switch whenever they want,” Johns said.

“That is not the case. They have been playing a really frivolous, careless style of football for too long and unfortunately now the pressure is on, that has become them.

“This next two weeks they have a massive job. They have to get everyone in, if there is any splits in the camp or any bullshit going on, they have to sort it out and get on with it.

“If they can do that, they can have an impact. But if they don’t fix it all, then under pressure against the Roosters it will come out.”

Originally published as Matty Johns warns Souths will regret releasing Burgess as weakness exposed