Finally Sam Burgess's aggressive playing style is catching up with him. But the South Sydney enforcer doesn't like it.

That's despite what he's gotten away with against the Canberra Raiders in recent times.

He gave away five penalties in the first half the last time he was in the capital. Yet somehow he stayed on the park. No 10-minute spell in the sin bin for the England international.

He took Raiders half Aidan Sezer's head clean off in a game up on the Central Coast last year. It was a high shot deemed bad enough to earn him a two-week holiday. Yet somehow he stayed on the park.

It's something the NRL refereeing department should be gently reminded of ahead of the biggest game in Canberra Stadium's rugby league history.

A sold-out preliminary final between the Green Machine and the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Friday night, under lights.

A spot in the grand final on the line. It would be the Raiders' first since 1994 if they get the chocolates.

We wouldn't want such a big occasion ruined by any kind of misguided pity for the Bunnies' hardman.

The whistleblowers certainly didn't hesitate when they sin binned Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, Jack Wighton and Joe Tapine this year.

Nor did they blink when they sent off Nick Cotric. The only player who's been given his marching orders in 2019.

Hardly dirty players in the NRL scheme of things. Hardly hard men living life on the proverbial edge where they play their best football.

So the whistleblowers shouldn't hesitate if Burgess again crosses the metaphoric line.

He came out swinging last week labelling the NRL judiciary a "kangaroo court" because they had the nerve to suspend him for a week for pulling someone's hair.

It meant he missed the Rabbitohs' qualifying final loss to the Sydney Roosters. The poor thing.

Not because he pulled someone's hair. But because he's a serial offender and his bad record turned a fine into a week off.

Apparently it was a case of trial by media, even though there were a raft of past players coming out saying it was embarrassing he would miss a game for something like that.

It was almost as embarrassing as being a grown man who's been caught intentionally pulling someone's hair.

Maybe on top of the week's holiday he should've had to pick up 100 pieces of paper from the school yard and written "I must not pull hair" 100 times as well.

It's also earned him a trip to Principal Todd Greenberg's office next week for a damn good talking to. Although why there wasn't time for that this week is anyone's guess.

Maybe Greenberg's been busy working out the temporary seating for Canberra Stadium?

If Burgess wanted an actual example of trial by media he need look no further than that ground.

The home of Raiders forward Hudson Young, who is serving an eight-week suspension for eye gouging.

Now that could certainly be called a case of trial by media.

It was the media, in the form of Fox Sports, who brought it to the NRL's attention in the first place.

It had gone completely unnoticed until they started showing replays of the incident.

Not even New Zealand Warriors back Adam Pompey noticed it, despite being on the receiving end of the aforementioned facial. He even said as much to the NRL judiciary.

Just like Burgess didn't notice everything he's gotten away with against the Green Machine.

Or maybe he did. And that's what he was really doing. Pointing out the inconsistency of it all.

Well if that's the case I hope the Raiders fans give him a warm welcome on Friday night. I'm sure they will.

NRL PRELIMINARY FINAL

Friday: Canberra Raiders v South Sydney Rabbitohs at Canberra Stadium, 7.50pm. Tickets on sale Monday (members) and Tuesday (general public).