NSW police and rugby league boss Peter V'landys have launched separate investigations into a swathe of misconduct allegations made against South Sydney Rabbitohs and club great Sam Burgess.
Sam Burgess has retired from playing but has been working as an assistant coach at the Rabbitohs. Photo: Photosport Ltd
It comes after a story in The Australian claiming the club covered up alleged domestic violence and drug use by Burgess and that a senior club staffer facilitated the coverup.
Burgess has denied the allegations and South Sydney has been contacted for comment.
In a statement, a NSW police spokesperson said: "On Wednesday 30th September officers from the Hume Police District received a report outlining various allegations relating to the conduct of a 31-year-old man.
"Police have commenced inquiries, however, as these inquiries are in their infancy there will be no further comment made at this time."
V'landys, the Australian Rugby League Commission chairman, would not comment on specific allegations but told Nine Radio the league would investigate.
"We'll investigate them, no doubt about that, and if there's any evidence we'll be gathering all the evidence and all the facts," he said.
"But, I again stress, that all parties including the South Sydney club and Sam Burgess deserve due process and natural justice, and they'll be afforded that.
"Once we have all that information, get all the facts and everybody's version, then we'll make the appropriate decisions."
NRL boss Peter V'landys wants to hear all the facts before making any decisions on Sam Burgess and the Rabbitohs. Photo: NRL Photos 2020
Burgess, 31, has retired from playing but has been working as an assistant coach at the Rabbitohs, for whom he made 176 appearances between 2010 and 2019.
He was a star player in the Rabbitohs' 2014 NRL premiership triumph, and won the Clive Churchill Medal for man-of-the-match.
V'landys said the code did not tolerate domestic violence.
"It would be totally inappropriate for me to comment on this specific case, I don't have sufficient facts," he said
"Like anyone else in the community you have to be provided due process and natural justice and Sam [Burgess] should be afforded that.
"But let me stress that the NRL has a zero tolerance, and will always have a zero tolerance, for violence against women and children."
The allegations come on the eve of the NRL finals series with South Sydney set to play the Newcastle Knights in Sydney on Sunday.
- ABC