Mystery surrounds George Burgess’ future after Dragons release veteran prop

St. George Illawarra has released veteran prop George Burgess from the rest of his playing contract and announced the signing of Zane Musgrove from the West’s Tigers.

Burgess made four appearances for the Dragons after returning to the NRL this year after a brief stint in the English Super League due to a serious hip injury.

It remains unclear whether the English player will play elsewhere in 2023.

Burgess is set to face a hearing next February after being charged with sexually touching a woman earlier this year.

The club also reported that Burgess spent July in rehab to deal with personal issues.

The Dragons announced Monday that Musgrove, who joined the club after three seasons with the Tigers, replaced Burgess.

The 26-year-old has 62 appearances for the NRL and plans to add more sizes to his experienced squad.

“Zane is an established player in the NRL, has a physical presence and will be a great addition to our forward pack,” Dragons Football General Manager Ben Haran said.

“We are looking to build a forward pack and are excited to see Zane join the Dragons.”

He still had two years left on his contract with the Tigers, but his decision to leave has freed up space in the salary cap for the club to chase big names ahead of the new season.

“He is well liked and respected by his teammates here at the Wests Tigers,” said Justin Pascoe, CEO of the Wests Tigers.

“This move is a great opportunity for us as a club and for Zayn.

“We wish Zane all the best in his future endeavors and thank him for all his hard work over the past three years.”