South Sydney coach Jason Demetriou has bristled at suggestions he is too soft on Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker, after club legend Sam Burgess dramatically walked out on the club.
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On a tumultuous Wednesday at the Rabbitohs' training centre in Maroubra, Demetriou was forced to dismiss claims Mitchell and Walker ran the club after Burgess resigned from his role.
Burgess, who was brought back to Souths as an assistant coach earlier this year, is believed to have raised concerns with Demetriou about preferential treatment being afforded to Mitchell and Walker.
Assistant coach John Morris also voiced grievances and will leave Souths at the end of the season to join Wests Tigers, where he has signed a four-year deal to become an assistant to ex-teammate Benji Marshall.
It is understood some players have also taken issue with the coach's handling of his star fullback and five-eighth.
"Latrell is a big presence, as Sam was when he was playing, but to say that he (Mitchell) is dominating the club ... he's a part of the leadership team," said Demetriou, who fronted media alongside chief executive Blake Solly on Wednesday.
"Cameron Murray is our captain and does a fantastic job as a leader in this club.
"Is (Mitchell) dominating the club? No, it's a comment that's ridiculous. He was out for three months, who was dominating the club then?
"One minute, (everyone) was saying we're too soft on him and they're running the club. And the next minute, it's I'm falling out with everyone. So which one is it?"
Souths have claimed Burgess stepped away due to the impending birth of his child with partner Lucy Graham, who whisked him away from the club's HQ shortly after 9am.
Burgess, who was due to leave Souths at the end of this season to take up a role with Super League side Warrington, declined to comment on Wednesday morning.
He later released a statement saying it was the right time to leave "given the circumstances".
But Burgess's decision to quit the Bunnies so close to the final round of the season has raised eyebrows given his heroics for the club en route to their drought-breaking premiership in 2014 and his tight bond with co-owner Russell Crowe.
Demetriou has lost one of the club's most-respected figures with their season in the balance.
South Sydney have a bye this week but must beat bitter rivals the Sydney Roosters on September 1 to guarantee they don't miss the finals for the first time since 2017.
Mitchell will be unavailable for that clash after being handed a one-game suspension following last Sunday's loss to Newcastle.
The Australia international has struggled to recapture his form since injuring his calf on State of Origin duty and missing 12 weeks of the club's campaign.
The fullback's efforts were questioned after an anaemic performance against the Knights which was only compounded by vision of him downing beers on stage with country singer Luke Combs earlier in the week.
"Half the NRL was probably at the Luke Combs concert," Demetriou retorted.
"He slugged a few shots of beer and threw the can in the air, but he was the first bloke in the building on Thursday morning - he trained the house down.
"He drives the standards inside these four walls."
Australian Associated Press
