George Burgess banned and fined

The South Sydney club will impose the sanctions after jointly determining the appropriate penalty with the NRL.

Souths have undertaken that Burgess will also pay for the cost of the damage, undergo an anger management program and commit to a further 50 hours (in addition to his existing commitments) of community support work through Souths Cares.

Burgess has been charged with two counts of wilful damage to property by Queensland Police.

“George accepts he’s done the wrong thing and that there has to be a price,” Rabbitohs Chief Executive, Mr Shane Richardson, said today.

“For someone on his contract level it is a big price to pay and he still has to deal with the issue in court.

“We will support him because he has faced up to what he has done and because this isn’t reflective of his general behaviour at the club.

“Everyone is going to have to get the message though that the NRL is going to stay strong on these issues and that the clubs will support that stance without exception.”

NRL Chief Executive, Mr Dave Smith, said that the game will not accept bad behaviour and that it supported the stance of the South Sydney club:

“The fans and the players want to see an end to it.

“It’s not about issuing warnings, it is about taking the appropriate action.”