Sam Burgess’ facial surgery has proved more complicated than expected and raised questions about him playing out the NRL grand final win over Canterbury with the injuries.

Burgess suffered a fractured cheekbone and a fractured eye socket in a sickening head clash with Bulldogs prop James Graham in the first tackle of the game on Sunday at ANZ Stadium.

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But despite the NRL’s new stringent concussion laws introduced this season, Burgess wasn’t subject to a check on his injuries by the Rabbitohs medical staff.

Souths co-owner Russell Crowe tweeted about the Clive Churchill Medal winner’s condition post-surgery on Wednesday.

“Sam Burgess update. Complicated surgery. 4 plates. Insisted the nurses called him Clive. Hahaha the sparkly eyed man. What a champion.” he wrote.

Burgess played the entire game with the injury in a performance that has already gone down in rugby league folklore.

However he appeared to admit he suffered concussion, when speaking about the Rabbitohs drought breaking win on radio on Tuesday.

When he was asked about brother George Burgess’ bullocking 56th minute try that swung momentum Souths way, Sam told 2KY’s Big Sports Breakfast: “I was a bit dazed during the game, I don’t remember too much of it”.

Burgess is expected to be sidelined for around two months with the injuries before beginning his rugby union career with English premiership side Bath.