A loss didn’t dampen the spirits of outgoing Rabbitohs duo Damien Cook and Tom Burgess. In fact, Burgess even crashed the post-game press conference on Friday night, beer in hand.
Cook and Burgess are departing South Sydney after nine and 12 seasons, respectively, in the cardinal and myrtle.
The Rabbitohs were thoroughly defeated by their arch-rivals, the Roosters, ending a disastrous season in which they will finish second to last.
Despite the loss, there were some bright moments in the game, including Tom Burgess scoring in the 74th minute and converting his own try.
After being honored on the field and bidding farewell to the fans, Damien Cook joined interim coach Ben Hornby for the post-game press conference. Just three and a half minutes in, Burgess made a surprise entrance, carrying a beer and a Great Britain flag, and sat down at the table.
“He’s here, everyone,” Hornby said, clapping in amusement.
However, the timing was less than ideal, as Hornby had just been asked about Latrell Mitchell’s one-game suspension, which will be served in Round 1 next season, following a leaked image of Mitchell with a white substance.
After Burgess pulled up a chair and sat down, Hornby addressed the question about Latrell Mitchell’s suspension, saying, “It is what it is, there’s nothing we can do about it, he’s been fine.”
Burgess then chimed in, adding, “He came for breakfast this morning in Cronulla, which was good. We shouted him, so he was happy.”
Naturally, the focus shifted to Burgess, who is heading back to the Super League after 249 games with the Rabbitohs, including their 2014 premiership victory.
“I was pleased to score that try in my last game… It opened up, and I was actually surprised. I think they let me in, to be honest,” Burgess said.
“Then Cooky told me I had the kicking duties. I’m glad it wasn’t any further out, to be honest.
“I’ve been reflecting on my career this week. I’m really grateful for what I’ve achieved here. I came over as a young lad on a one-year deal, not knowing what to expect. The game has given me more than I’ve given it.
“I love Australia. I’ll definitely be back when I retire. I can’t thank the Bunnies enough for everything they’ve done for me and my family.”
Meanwhile, Damien Cook will join the Dragons next season on a two-year deal. Although he preferred to re-sign with the Rabbitohs for 2026, they weren’t willing to offer him that extension, so he was given the opportunity to negotiate with other teams for the upcoming season and beyond.
Burgess described the star hooker as an “unreal” player and humorously highlighted their close friendship.
“He was thrilled when I moved to the Shire because he’s a bit tight with money. He didn’t want to drive all the time, wanted to split the fuel costs, and always makes me get coffees on the way in,” Burgess joked with a laugh.
“He’s been an incredible teammate, friend, and support. His career achievements speak for themselves, and we’re all lucky to have been part of it.”
The Rabbitohs are set to lose over 460 games of NRL experience with the departures of Cook and Burgess, so it’s no surprise that Hornby noted their exits will create a “massive” gap.
“Cooky is everything you want in a player. He trains hard, is a great teammate, and does whatever the team needs,” Hornby said.
“And Tom is the same. He’s experienced almost everything in rugby league, which adds significant value to our young forward pack. He’s also great at keeping things light and having a laugh.
“They’re going to be huge losses for the club. We’ve known for weeks how much the team wants to finish the season strong with these guys. You couldn’t find two better teammates or players to be part of the club.”