The NRL veteran insists no player at Souths receives preferential treatment.
Cody Walker insists he has no idea what Sam Burgess was referring to when he claimed certain Souths players received ‘preferential treatment’ from coach Jason Demetriou. Burgess fell out with Souths’ hierarchy after he questioned the club’s training standards.
The Englishman claimed NRL stars such as Walker and Latrell Mitchell were given preferential treatment by the club’s coaches. But Walker revealed after Burgess went public with his concerns he went to the Souths coach to ask if there was any truth to the rumours.
“I personally spoke to ‘JD’ (Jason Demetriou) about it straight away. I said, ‘Does this happen? Do you feel like that?’ I said, ‘I wouldn’t want to be at a club if that ever happens’,” Walker told The Sydney Morning Herald.
Sam Burgess claimed stars such as Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker were given preferential treatment by Souths’ coaches before he left the club. Image: Getty (Mark Metcalfe via Getty Images)More
At the time it was also claimed that players had raised concerns with Demetriou’s treatment of Walker after he had reportedly walked out of training early on multiple occasions. “I’m still unsure what that actually meant,” Walker said.
“There are times on the training park where I do get the s***s. But I don’t walk off training. I never walk off training There are times I get the s***s at training and say what needs to be said. If someone’s not doing their job, I have the right to tell people, right? It’s my job as the senior playmaker in the side. To say I walk off training and do all that sort of stuff, I’ve never really done that.
“It’s just crazy to think someone can do that. Everyone knows that I’m vocal and animated. That’s me wanting to win. I hate losing. I can’t stand losing. I’m one of those guys that if someone is not doing their job in the team, I tell them.”
Sam Burgess thrilled by opportunity to coach Warrington
Since leaving Souths last year, Burgess has landed on his feet, signing a deal to coach Warrington in the English Super League in what is his first job as a professional head coach. Burgess told the UK Telegraph earlier this month that he was conflicted on whether or not to take the job but he was convinced by Wayne Bennett to take the chance with both hands.
“I was finishing up at Souths and this just came up. A lot of people advised me to take a bit more time but Wayne Bennett told me, ‘Go do it. It’s the only way you’re going to learn’,” Burgess said ahead of his Super League coaching debut. “It was a sliding doors moment.
“It wasn’t a plan but it was a great opportunity outside my comfort zone. I wanted to be a head coach in the long run and I thought this was just a great fit. It is such a great club to be part of.”
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