Burgess, Richardson not mates: Anasta

Braith Anasta has doubled down on his criticism of Shane Richardson, saying Sam Burgess wasn’t the only one at South Sydney who didn’t get along with the ex-Rabbitohs football boss.

Anasta has confirmed South Sydney assistant and ex-skipper Burgess had fallen out with Richardson amid reports it had been the catalyst for the former Rabbitohs supremo’s surprise exit this week.

Anasta had already taken a shot at Richardson who said he had resigned to ease South Sydney’s financial burden during the coronavirus shutdown and asking the NRL to put the game before “greed”.

Nephew of South Sydney great George Piggins, Anasta earlier this week asked whether Richardson had received a payout, saying it would not a good look after the long term administrator’s criticism of the NRL.

Now Anasta has come out swinging again, saying Burgess would not have been the only one happy to see Richardson leave the NRL club.

“In terms of Sam, I don’t think they do get along and I don’t think they have for a long time but he is not the only one there,” Anasta told Fox League.

“I know for a fact that there are a lot of people who don’t get along with Shane there and there a lot of people who aren’t too unhappy with what has happened.”

Anasta also touched on News Corp Australia’s report that Richardson was expected to receive a payout of up to $320,000 as part of his resignation package.

“At the end of the day Shane had a lot to say on the way out. He was very critical of the NRL and their handling of finances and taking pay cuts and saying he was standing down effective immediately,” he said.

“I thought it was very honourable and a great decision to do that to help the club. He actually said that it was to help the club – to cut at the top to help the guys at the bottom.

“But there was no mention of whether he got a pay out or not. And if he did it contradicted everything that he said.

“If he did get a payout I thought he would be a lot more quiet and walked out the back door instead of charging through the front.”

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