Been waiting for this, glad to see it. It is absolutely valid to make reference to the spate of recent high profile retirements, the NRL needs to be challenged on this. The 350k rule seems arbitrary, it is certainly wrong. Cap relief should be the players entire wage for the year, otherwise the whole basis of the theory behind the cap and market valuation is rendered a joke.
I'm not going to be surprised if it emerges that Burgess was pushed. With a year of rehab, could he have played again? We'll never know. If a player doesn't have firm medical advice he has to retire, he shouldn't have to. Even sometimes when they do have such advice they might find a way to keep playing. Brent Tate?