Sam Burgess has spoken out about the ‘grossly unfair’ punishment handed down by the NRL after he was fined $30,000 for a string of offences during his time with the Rabbitohs.
The former South Sydney star was handed the fine and suspended from acting as an official for 12 weeks after the league found he used illicit drugs and threatened another player in 2018.
He was also punished for breaching NSW law in February 2021 when he was busted driving with cocaine in his system.
The 33-year-old’s old club was also hit with a $20,000 fine for not advising the NRL of an allegation made against Burgess.
Sam Burgess (pictured with ex-wife Phoebe) has spoken out about the ‘grossly unfair’ punishment handed down by the NRL after he was fined $30,000 for a string of offences during his time with the Rabbitohs
‘I understand, but do not agree with all of the breach notices issued by the NRL,’ Burgess said.
‘The punishment is grossly unfair and my lawyers have advised me of my appeal rights.
‘However I wish to move on with my life for matters that I believe have already been dealt with Courts, judiciary and publicly.’
The footy star said he has made ‘impactful and positive changes’ to his life as he focuses on working to be a better man and father to his two children.
The NRL also cleared Burgess of domestic violence allegations raised by his ex-wife Phoebe more than a year ago in explosive newspaper articles.
‘I stand strongly against violence towards women,’ Burgess said in his statement.
Burgess released a lengthy statement on Instagram on Friday afternoon
‘It has no place in society, no place in sport and no place in my life. I am thankful that the NRL has finally cleared my name against all allegations of domestic violence.
‘I have now been cleared of three very public and defamatory investigations. This has been a long and damaging process, taking a toll on me both physically and mentally.’
He added he accepted full responsibility for ‘the way certain parts of my life have unfolded’ and was relieved he could move forward.
Burgess will now be able to return to the NRL if he chooses to. He is currently working in a coaching role for the Orara Valley Axemen in the NSWRL division two competition.
‘Burgess, who stood himself down from club duties in October 2020, will be permitted to count his stand down as time served and will therefore be entitled to resume his duties, should he so desire,’ the NRL said in a statement.
The NRL also confirmed South Sydney had been fined $20,000 but it ‘did not support a finding that there was a cover-up by the Club of the use by Burgess of illicit drugs, prescription drugs or that it engaged in a practice of covering up allegations of domestic violence’.
Burgess can now return to the NRL if he chooses to. He is currently coaching the Orara Valley Axemen in the NSWRL division two competition
‘The investigation did find that on one occasion the South Sydney Rabbitohs breached NRL Rules in not reporting an allegation against Burgess from a member of the public to the NRL Integrity Unit.’
South Sydney said they have accepted the penalty, adding there was no place for violence, harassment or abuse against women in the club.
Burgess’ ex wife Phoebe had accused the retired South Sydney star of domestic violence and drug and alcohol abuse during their marriage, which ended in acrimony in late 2019.
The allegations were published in The Australian newspaper in October 2020 and denied vehemently by Burgess at the time.
Having spent more than 12 months looking at the claims New South Wales Police confirmed its investigation was over last October in a 12-word statement.
‘Following extensive inquiries, no further police action is expected to be taken.’
The Australian also alleged the one-time Souths captain had waited outside the home of then rookie Roosters player Billy Smith, who knew a woman involved in a 2018 sexting scandal with Burgess.
The NRL has cleared Sam Burgess of domestic violence allegations made more than a year ago by his his ex-wife Phoebe. Burgess is pictured with the former couple’s children Poppy, four, and Billy, two
Phoebe had accused the retired NRL star of domestic violence and drug and alcohol abuse during their marriage. The allegations were published in The Australian newspaper in October last year and denied vehemently by Burgess at the time. Sam and Phoebe are pictured in 2016
The NRL has previously confirmed to Daily Mail Australia it has no jurisdiction over the Orara Valley Axemen, the club on the NSW mid-north coast where Burgess is coaching.
Burgess’s solicitor Chris Murphy first revealed NSW Police had closed its investigation into his client in a Twitter post on October 21 last year.
‘Re media claims against my client Sam Burgess by ex,’ he wrote.
‘NSW Police Operational Legal Advice unit just recommended no criminal prosecution(s) be preferred against Sam Burgess in relation to these allegations.
‘That now concludes this investigation.’
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Mr Murphy’s firm has acted for Burgess through a series of legal matters the former Souths captain has faced over the past 17 months.
‘Much hurt and harm has been done to Sam Burgess,’ he wrote on Twitter in a follow-up post.
‘He has been damaged. He wants the public to be made aware that allegations have been thoroughly examined and at length by NSW Police and there is nothing for him to be called to answer.’
Burgess was cleared in March last year of having intimidated his father-in-law Mitchell Hooke during a confrontation at the Hooke family’s Southern Highlands home in October 2019. Phoebe is pictured with her father and Burgess
The original reports in The Australian followed ‘a four-month investigation’ and included statements from Phoebe and her father Mitchell Hooke.
The newspaper said the reports relied upon ‘pharmaceutical records, sworn statements to NSW Police, statutory declarations and witness accounts’.
They also drew on ‘call logs, emails, text messages, bank records, WhatsApp exchanges and Uber receipts.’
The allegations cost Burgess his coaching job with South Sydney and commentary work with Fox Sports.
Defamation lawyer Mark O’Brien, acting for Burgess, said after the stories were published: ‘The allegations are false and constitute an indefensible defamation against my client.’
‘It is apparent sources of the false allegations are those currently in dispute with my client over various issues.’
Daily Mail Australia understands Burgess is not contemplating defamation action.
Burgess’s solicitor Bryan Wrench accused Phoebe and her father of setting out to destroy his client’s reputation, which they denied. Burgess is pictured with Mr Wrench and mother Julie Burgess while defending a charge of intimidating Phoebe’s father Mitchell Hooke
Phoebe had made a 50-page statement containing claims about her former husband’s lifestyle and accusations about his conduct towards her during their troubled relationship.
Much of that material was published in The Australian and NSW Police subsequently established Strike Force Strike Force Irrabella to investigate, issuing a brief statement at the time.
‘On Wednesday 30 September 2020, officers from The Hume Police District received a report outlining various allegations relating to the conduct of a 31-year-old man,’ it stated.
‘Police have commenced inquiries and as these inquiries are in their infancy, no further comment will be provided at this time.’
The NRL began its own inquiry in October 2020.
‘Now that the police investigation is complete, the NRL Integrity Unit will be able to finalise its own investigation,’ an NRL spokesman said a year later.
Burgess underwent a stint in rehabilitation last year and appeared on SAS Australia (pictured) where he admitted infidelity with a woman in Melbourne in 2017
Souths did not conduct a separate investigation but the club had said it was treating the allegations ‘with the utmost seriousness’ when they were originally made.
‘We were, and remain, supportive of and cooperative with the investigations undertaken by NSW Police and the NRL Integrity Unit,’ a club spokesman said in October.
‘We note the statement today from NSW Police and look forward to the NRL Integrity Unit finalising their investigation.’
The original newspaper stories came as Burgess was facing an accusation he had intimidated Mr Hooke in a confrontation at the Hooke family’s Southern Highlands home the previous year.
Burgess’s lawyers suggested Phoebe and her father had leaked information to The Australian ahead of the intimidation charge being heard.
Both agreed they had given information to The Australian but denied they had done so to destroy Burgess’s reputation.
Phoebe Burgess and her father Mitchell Hooke admitted giving information to The Australian newspaper which was investigated by police. Phoebe said she wanted to expose a culture of covering up bad behaviour by players, particularly towards women, in the NRL
Phoebe has said she wanted to expose a toxic culture in the NRL which she claimed included covering up bad behaviour by players, particularly against women.
Burgess was cleared in March last year of the intimidation charge and an accompanying apprehended violence order to protect Mr Hooke was withdrawn.
Burgess has since undergone a stint in rehabilitation and appeared on the last season of SAS Australia where he admitted infidelity with a woman in Melbourne in 2017.
Sam and Phoebe married in 2015, separated in late 2018 and resumed their relationship in early 2019.
They split permanently on October 2 that year and later divorced. The former couple shares custody of daughter Poppy, four, and Billy, two.
Burgess pleaded guilty to driving with traces of cocaine in his system while picking up the children from Bowral in February, 2021 and was put on a nine-month conditional release order in May.
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