Rabbitohs assistant coach Sam Burgess is in trouble with the law once again after allegedly failing a roadside drug test on Thursday.
To make matters worse, Burgess wasn’t even meant to be driving as he has had his licence suspended.
The 34-year-old was taken to Marboura Police Station to complete a mandatory second test before any charges could be laid.
Burgess has a chequered history with the law, having been previously been charged and found guilty for driving with cocaine in his system. He was also charged with alleged domestic abuse towards his former wife Pheobe but those charges were eventually dropped.
The former English international played 182 NRL matches for Souths from 2010-19 before retiring due to a shoulder injury.
He starred in the 2014 Grand Final triumph, winning the Clive Churchill Medal for his brave display after suffering a facial fracture in the opening minute.
He had only recently been given the green light by the NRL to hold an official role again at a club due to previous off-field incidents, including intimidating a Roosters player.
![Sam Burgess](https://cdn4.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Sam-Burgess.jpg)
Sam Burgess. (Photo by Will Russell/Getty Images)
Meanwhile, St George Illawarra’s off-season from hell has got even worse with rising star Talatau Amone in police custody after being charged over an incident near his home last month.
The 20-year-old five-eighth has been charged with reckless grievous bodily harm in company, damaging property and intimidation over an alleged incident with a roofing contractor near his home in the southern Wollongong suburb of Warrawong on November 15.
He did not seek bail, which was formally refused, and will front court in Wollongong on Friday.
St George Ilawarra reported the matter to the NRL’s integrity unit.
“Dragons player Talatau Amone has been charged in relation to an alleged incident earlier this year,” the club said in a statement. “The club has notified the NRL integrity unit. As this is a legal matter the club will be making no further comment.”
A NSW Police statement alleges that two tradesmen working at a neighbouring property last month were confronted by three men armed with hammers.
Police say one of the men was pursued onto and then pushed off a roof, falling two metres and sustaining injuries to his wrists, arms and hip.
A 46-year-old man was arrested at the scene, while police circulated images of a third unidentified man on Thursday.
Amone, who was part of Tonga’s recent Rugby League World Cup campaign, recently re-signed with the Dragons until the end of 2024.
He is one of St George Illawarra’s best young prospects but could be banned from playing by the NRL under its no-fault stand down policy.
![WOLLONGONG, AUSTRALIA - JULY 03: Talatau Amone of the Dragons is tackled by Jack Wighton of the Raiders during the round 16 NRL match between the St George Illawarra Dragons and the Canberra Raiders at WIN Stadium, on July 03, 2022, in Wollongong, Australia. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)](https://cdn4.theroar.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/GettyImages-1406478273-1.jpg)
Junior Amone. (Photo by Mark Nolan/Getty Images)
He has played 35 NRL games since his debut in 2021 and played every match of last season, striking up a partnership with captain Ben Hunt in the halves.
The Dragons are reeling after copping a mountain of backlash for their controversial decision to survey members about a possible name change.
They have also had to deal with several other incidents. Amone was involved in a scuffle during a training session with centre Zac Lomax, former star Matt Cooper boycotted the 2010 premiership-winning team’s recent reunion due to a feud with ex-chief executive Peter Doust and chairman Craig Young resigned after he provided a letter of support for former NSW halfback Brett Finch for his court case for sharing child sexual abuse material.
The club was also in the headlines when only three of its top 30 squad members bothered to show up for the presentation night in October.
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