NRL heavyweight beginning to look shaky after four rounds of 2014 season.
South Sydney superstar Sam Burgess has denied there is any rift between players at the club despite the club stumbling to its third loss in a row.
The Bunnies started the 2014 season on fire in taking down the reigning premiers the Sydney Roosters by 20 points in round one.
Since then the red and green side have looked lost and at times out of sorts, with losses at the hands of Manly, Wests Tigers and now by 12 points to an undermanned Canberra team.
The loss to the Tigers can be attributed, in part, to the loss of Greg Inglis early in the game due to a head knock.
But Inglis’ departure from the field only raised more questions about the Rabbitohs being a ‘one-man team’.
And on the back of a long-term injury to New Zealand Test hooker Issac Luke, Burgess said he cannot put a finger on why the season has gone south so quickly.
“There is always talk and speculation,” Burgess said about the supposed rift.
“I don’t know what is being said about us,’’ he said. “I am not that fussed what is written. As a group we are pretty tight and we understand that happens in the sport.
“Things are going to be written. As a group we don’t look into that. Certainly there is no problem within the team.
“I am sure there might be a few more things written now we have lost three in a row but I can say the group is as tight as it has been and we are going to work hard to turn it around as quick as possible.”
Speaking publicly for the first time since announcing this will be his last year in the NRL, having signed a rich deal with English Rugby Union club Bath, Burgess said it was not unusual for other team’s forward to target him.
Referring to a running battle with Wests’ prop Aaron Woods last weekend, Burgess said: “It is a very competitive game. Obviously there are going to be battles between forwards. A lot is made of it but actually there is not a lot in it.”
The Rabbitohs will need to turn their form around quickly ahead of their round five game against the St George Illawarra Dragons, who sit on top of the ladder despite suffering their first loss, when they went down to Brisbane 36-20 at WIN Stadium on Friday night.
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