Sam Burgess' revelation about Wayne Bennett as Rabbitohs great makes call on coaching in NRL
Burgess says he is still being mentored by Bennett despite coaching on the other side of the world.
NRL legend Sam Burgess has revealed he has weekly phone calls with Wayne Bennett during the Super League season, to get pointers and advice from the super coach. Burgess spent a large part of his playing career under the mentorship of Bennett, with the 74-year-old coaching the former Souths forward at club and international level. And their relationship has continued following Burgess' NRL retirement in 2019.
Up until 2023, Burgess remained part of the NRL in a coaching capacity, spending time at the Rabbitohs as an assistant to then-coach Jason Demetriou. But after the Rabbitohs endured a tumultuous end to their 2023 season, Burgess was shown the door after he questioned the coaching methods and shed light on a potential culture issue at the club.
He claimed stars such as Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker were given preferential treatment by the club's coaches before he ended up leaving the club. Since then Burgess landed on his feet, joining Warrington in the English Super League in his first head coaching role.
Throughout his career, he has leaned on Bennett for advice and it has been no different in his coaching career, revealing to the UK Telegraph earlier this year that Bennett had to convince him to take the job as most of his advice before his conversation with the Souths coach was to take some time away from the game. And while moving back to England and taking a head coaching role was a big step and challenge, Burgess revealed on SEN on Thursday that he has been getting continual advice and feedback from Bennett, whose expertise he regularly leans on while trying to still do things his way.
"I think it's important to do your own work and you certainly learn and take the advice from those around you. Some of the more successful coaches, especially Wayne (Bennett), I speak to Wayne almost weekly during the season," Burgess told SEN.
"I call him whenever there is something I am just not too sure about. And it is just good to have a couple of blokes to lean on but I think it's important I do it my own way because it's my side and the results are based on how I coach and the results I get."
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Sam Burgess hopes to coach in the NRL one day
Burgess and Bennett have a strong personal and professional relationship. And after Bennett was announced as the new Bunnies coach, there were suggestions that the 35-year-old could return to the Rabbitohs to work under the super coach. Burgess worked under Bennett during his first spell at Souths and the veteran coach said if he ever wants to return to the Rabbitohs he will create space for him.
However, the super coach went on to say that he believes what is best for the former NRL star is space to develop as a coach. And that is something the Englishman also says is the case, reiterating his desire to complete his deal with Warrington before sussing out any opportunity back in the NRL.
"Yeah at some point (I want to coach in the NRL)," Burgess told SEN. "I obviously thought about it but now I am here and we're (he and his family) enjoying it, I can wait until the right opportunity presents itself... I'm in no rush but certainly, I want to get there and get the opportunity to coach an NRL side."
