There has been much written in the last few weeks about the possibility of Latrell Mitchell possibly donning the white black, and gold of the Wests Tigers as early as 2020.
Rewind six weeks and Mitchell was proudly sporting the Sydney Roosters’ tricolours as they fought their way to a second consecutive premiership.
In the wake of that game, knowing Mitchell was contracted for another season at the Roosters having secured his second premiership ring in as many years, it would have taken a brave punter to suggest he would break his contract to play for any other club in 2020. Nobody in their right mind would have considered he would walk away to sign for the Wests Tigers.
Yet here we are six weeks later and there is a very real chance Mitchell will be leaving the henhouse and heading to Concord.
As perplexed Wests Tigers fans begin to believe they could land the biggest star available for 2020 an avalanche of experts, former players and fans have engaged in fierce debate about his worth as a player and more importantly, why such a supreme talent would leave the strongest club in the world for the team with the longest finals drought in the NRL.
One of those questions may have been answered in the last few days with speculative reports of a three-year back-ended deal worth around $2,700,000nbeing offered by the Wests Tigers. If accurate, it works out to roughly $900,000 a season, only $100,000 a season more than the two-year offer the Roosters pulled.
For a club like the Wests Tigers paying that extra $100,000 for a player of Mitchell’s calibre who can also fix their eternal goal kicking woes seems like great value. It also cements his current worth at around the $800,000 mark which at this stage of his career seems right on the money.
The real question is will a move to Concord be good for Mitchell and good for the Wests Tigers? There is no doubt the Wests Tigers have made some objectively poor signings over the course of their finals drought.
Disloyal or generally poor coaches, injury-prone players, overrated players (for their contract value) and players who have kicked stones or phoned it in as a means to ditch their contract have been the Achilles’ heel of a Wests Tigers team desperate to get back to finals footy and into the premiership mix.
Should they poach Mitchell, it will be one of the biggest signings in the clubs history. This, combined with the stability bought by current premiership-winning coach Michael Maguire, a center of excellence on the way and the chance to untether themselves from underperforming players devouring an absurd amount of precious salary cap within the next two seasons could see the signing of Mitchell as the catalyst for the Wests Tigers to enter the fabled premiership window.
It seems a no-brainer that the signing would undoubtedly have much more upside than downside for the struggling club.
For Mitchell however, it seems every wannabe, has-been and everyone in between feels a need to spew out a diatribe of reasons as to why he should stay at a club where he is clearly unhappy despite his premiership successes. In doing so, however, they are ignoring the (non-financial) reasons why making the move to Wests Tigers could be the best thing he could do for his career and himself.
Clearly to play in a team with premiership potential is nothing new for Mitchell. But to do so at a team like the Wests Tigers would be extraordinary.
The Tigers are not the heavy hitters the Roosters are and he has never experienced playing for an NRL team where every match in the season could cost you your season.
At the Roosters, he has the best of everything; outstanding facilities, a rich club, a star-studded team around him and one of the all-time great coaches at the helm. He has never had to consistently push himself when the going gets tough and has (infamously) faded in and out of games.
This has been acceptable because the vast majority of the team alongside him are current or former State of Origin or Tier 1 international representatives (in this year’s grand final, for example, 12 of his 16 his teammates fell into this category.)
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
There will be no such luxury at Wests Tigers. When players fade out at Wests Tigers they lose. When multiple players fade, they get flogged. Mitchell will need to play consistently at his highest level for the full season.
He will need to stay in games longer, have more involvements, require greater fitness and mentally be more resilient than he has ever been at the Roosters just to keep the Tigers in the fight. Wests Tigers fans and club expectations will weigh more heavily because there will be no question he would be the marquee player and should be one of the top performers week in and week out.
However, it is this increased expectation and reliance that makes the Tigers a perfect fit. Mitchell has shown he wants the responsibility.
He is a fighter who we have seen time and again play at his best when he is in a scrap with his back to the wall. He has a strong desire to be the marquee man and strives to be a more complete player demanding excellence from himself and consistently wanting to prove he is the best on the field.
At the Wests Tigers, he will have nowhere to hide if he doesn’t measure up to his own expectations because they will be the expectations of his teammates, the club and the fans. Wests Tigers are also notoriously a team who fight hard for each other because of their lack of genuine x-factor talent.
Mitchell would thrive in a team where he has the potential to be the biggest fighter in a team of fighters, a rallying figure in a team of infinite underdogs.
If he can consistently be the player he strives to be in a team like the Wests Tigers, without battling for the spotlight in a sea of superstars, he will undoubtedly add to his representative tally. If he can take them to the premiership promised land, he will be remembered as one of the greatest players of his generation.
Opportunity sometimes presents itself in the most unlikely of places. Critics knew better when Johnathan Thurston left the Bulldogs for the Cowboys. They knew better when Greg Inglis left the Storm for the Rabbitohs.
Critics claim they know better now as well. But for Latrell Mitchell, the opportunity to achieve the greatness he demands from himself might just be provided in a Wests Tigers jersey.
harry Scorpio
Guest
Why is it good to see Easts losing one of their best players.hes been at Roosters since he was 16.
elvis
Roar Rookie
it means means being in a strong team can be a very good thing. Does he want to be Ringo at Wests?
E-Meter
Roar Rookie
Wings - the band the Beatles could have been
Freddy is king
Roar Rookie
I agree. They need a couple of bookends who can get them going forward. Latrell is a super talent but I am not sure that the Tigers are a good fit for him.
penso
Guest
Good to see Easts losing one of their best players but going to Wests is a big gamble and Mcquire is not an easy coach to get along with, can only see tears here for Latrell.
Michael1954
Guest
I am a very loyal WESTS TIGERS supporter and have been so for 20 years, prior to that I was a loyal supporter of one of the two clubs that originally made up the Joint Venture late in 1999; in my opinion and based on past experiences I think we are going the same way as we have for the past 0 or so years bu buying a "potentially" great centre three-quarter who wants to play fullback, the main reason he wants to play fullback is that he has been told and has seen first hand that it is the fullbacks, five-eighths and scrum halves that earn the most money, he is neither a 7 or a 6 , but could possibly be a great #1 he also knows the gap left when James Tedesco left when he left the Tigers to go to the Henhouse, it would be nice if he could be as good as JT, but that is highly unlikely and as a Taree indigenous young man, he has that inkling to go walkabout, whether it be in an 80 minute game or a few weeks during the season, especially if he isn't surrounded by family and people of his own type. Andrew Walker, a former Chook, who had the potential to be anything and did get to rep football in Rugby League was a person of the same ilk, the Roosters finally had to let him go, from there he went to Union and played for the Brumbies in the Nations Capital and got to play for the Wallabies, but always managed to go MIA when most needed, sometimes no-one knew where he was, alas it was part of Andrew's make up and cruelled his capability to reach his highest standard. I think if we were to go over to England and pick up a few forwards and maybe a centre, something similar to the Raiders have done in the past few years we could spend the money a lot more efficiently and gain a lot more positive results, look what David Bolton did in 1969 and Ellery Hanley did for BValmain in 1988, two year the Tigers were in the "BIG DANCE", we won and the first one and bar for Terry Lamb hitting him from behind and knocking Ellery out at half-time, there is a decent chance we could have got ourselves into the game against the Bulldogs and every chance we could have won that game as well. We have plenty of money coming our way after the 2020 season, whilst with the retirement of Ben Matulino and Parramatta signing out Ryan Materson (a year early), we have a good bit of money to spend for a player of ultimate standard right now (the media are flaming this).
The Donald
Roar Rookie
Careful what you wish for Tigers Fans. To be worth anything like the sort of money ???? they're talking about - Mitchell would have to make a "significant contribution" to the result of every Game. Something which he's failed to do for the Roosters - and when selected to play for his State. As well - my "mail" is that Mitchell would rather play for Wayne Bennett & Souths IF they can get a full Salary Cap Dispensation for Burgess.
Madridjohn
Guest
I’ve no idea what that means ....iced coffee milk is also better than strawberry.
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
No idea, who is Jack Bird, who does he play for? $800 K X 3 years = $2.4 million in addition to what he would get if he pulled his finger out and played Origin and any other rep games… Origin x 3 @ $30 grand a game + So at the Roosters playing well he stood to rake in $2.7 million in addition to any 3rd party deals. whatsmore, I reckon that Easts 3rd party deals would eclipse anything the Tigers may come up with….Lets say some $2.85 million over 3 years at 22 years of age…now who again is this Jack Bird ?
Chris Love
Roar Guru
Jack Bird is on 800k no?
Chris Love
Roar Guru
I’m of the mind that the contract withdrawal is just cat and mouse to get one of the Roosterers rich backers to come in with a healthy TPD. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that Mitchel “begrudgingly” signed a deal to stay at the Roosters mid next year on say 700k but in reality there’s a TPD that pushes him over the million. Uncle. nick knows what he’s doing.
Chris Love
Roar Guru
Teddy is 26 and just won the gong for best player in the game and would be odds on to go back to back. He has 4-6 more years before they’d be looking to move him on if he stays relatively injury free.
mushi
Roar Guru
I think he was loved but then asked to see other people.
Daniel Higgins
Roar Rookie
Good call!
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
But he's not loved, that's why they withdrew their offer. They'd be happy to see the back of him
Adam Bagnall
Roar Guru
They should look at Shannon Boyd apparently he's not wanted at the Titans. Could get him cheap and he might realize his potential under Madge
Daniel Higgins
Roar Rookie
Hi Paul. Thankyou for the kind response to my first article, I appreciate it. There’s certainly a lot of risk with him, but compared to so many of their previous signings I think it’s calculated and there’s a bigger picture in mind. (Seriously, they signed Suli for the same sort of money a few years ago, that was simply insane). With risk vs reward on Mitchell though I’d say he’s definitely worth the risk.
Daniel Higgins
Roar Rookie
I think if Mitchell signs there will be enough cover for the centers with Momo and Moses capable in those positions. They should also have the cash left to go after a high end forward with Arrow and Tetevano both looking likely targets. The Mitchell signing is probably one that will have its biggest pay off in around 2021, 2022 assuming the Tigers can recruit well around him.
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
No he will not because they are not going to pay him $800 K per year x 3 years that offer has gone and guess what should he not sign elsewhere he will be playing reserve grade. He will not play first grade for the Roosters.....because if he goes back to the Roosters & says Oh I guess I will take the $800 now he will be told stiff cheese , you had your chance
Noosa Duck
Roar Rookie
Paul, what was Latrell on at the Roosters or should I say, what is Latrell currently on I was told $450,000 and originally midway through the season when they knew Cronk was going Politis pencilled in $600,000 – $700,000. Now $700 K is pretty good dosh for a centre . Then they wone the G/F so decided that they would make it $800 K X 3 years….. making Latrell the highest paid centre in the game. Now when Mitchell stated that he reckoned the $800 K was an insult, I reckon the Nick Politis took that as a personal insult as he had already overstepped his better judgement with the $800 K offer. In fact Nick was might miffed to say the least. The word I have is so miffed considering the time & effort they have put into him that should he not find a new home he will play reserve grade ….seriously. Your if’s are certainly not unfounded because he seems distracted by so many things and seems to have walked away from the council of Politis & Robinson and letting many from outside the club get into his ear. I, like you have my doubts that he has the mental strength to be a leader and a marquee player at the tigers.