'Got to get sent-off': Sam Burgess slammed for ugly 'dog-shot'

Mitchell Pearce says Sam Burgess should have been sent-off for his role in an ugly melee between the Rabbitohs and Knights on Friday night.

Four players were sin-binned after the match erupted a minute before half-time, with Sam and Tom Burgess, as well as Lachlan Fitzgibbon and Daniel Saifiti given their matching orders.

Tom Burgess and his Newcastle opposite Saifiti sparked the melee.

Taking exception to Saifiti throwing the first punch at his younger brother, Sam Burgess joined the action, with a furious Pearce claiming both Burgess brothers were guilty of head butts - Sam on Knights second-rower Fitzgibbon and Tom on Saifiti.

"Sam Burgess comes in from behind and dog-shots him when no one's looking," Pearce pleaded with referee Grant Atkins.

"Our boys are just breaking it up. So that's two from them that have got to go. One's got to get sent off.

"He (Tom Burgess) head-butted him (Saifiti) first and our guy's reacted. How's that not our penalty?"

Atkins disagreed, enabling Souths back to within a converted try, trailing 12-6 at the break.

But that was as close as Souths got, with Sam Burgess's solo try five minutes from time merely a consolation effort.

Both coaches played down the bruhaha, with Wayne Bennett rejecting Pearce's head-butting claims.

"I saw Sam came in. I didn't see Sam head-butt," he said.

"But I'm sure they'll sort it out before the week's out.

"We're playing a man's game and both sides were involved in it.

"Both sides got players sent to the sin bin."

Tom Burgess has since been hit with a grade one striking charge and faces missing one game through suspension - two if he fights the charge and loses.

Sam Burgess and Saifiit have copped $1350 and $1150 fines respectively, while Fitzgibbon escaped charge.

with AAP