South Sydney star Latrell Mitchell was one of three of Rabbitohs sent home from the club’s NRL headquarters on Monday and told to take a COVID-19 test.
Speaking on Fox League Live, former Souths captain Sam Burgess identified Mitchell, club captain and halfback Adam Reynolds and prop Liam Knight as the players who were sent from training.
A club spokesperson said the trio displayed mild symptoms and the club were still awaiting results on Monday evening.
“The protocols are pretty tight, the 32 players and 18 staff, one entrance point, one exit,” Burgess said.
“Your temperature is checked, you fill out a wellbeing form, pretty standard practice really.
“They ask you a few more detailed questions and if you answer ‘yes’ to any of those questions in terms of sore throat and runny nose, then straight away you are sent off to get a test, just to double check and make sure that everyone is safe.
“What’s happened today with the players, I think a few of them had a cough, or one of them had a runny nose.
“With the testing we’ve got in place we sent them off straight away to get a test.”
The news on Mitchell came just a week after the fullback-turned-centre and Melbourne Storm winger Josh Addo-Carr were fined by NSW Police for breaking social distancing laws.
The pair were pictured with 10 other men around a fire, near Taree in mid north NSW.
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
As a long time Roosters supporter I was initially disappointed when he left. Joey Manu plays the game without fuss. The Morris twins have always approached the game in a professional manner. When Mitchell's career comes to an end I wonder whether the niggle in his game & seeking excuses for rep selection & other issues that occur will have been eliminated. Otherwise it may be a case of what might have been. There have been a multitude of team plaers in various sports who think they can do whatever they like. AS a result talented or not, coaches feel they are not worth the effort. Players such as Mitch Aubusson, Craig Fitzgibbon & Luke Ricketson were not blessed with the natural talent of Michell however never attracted the media scrutiny that is afforded Mitchell. Unfortunately he brings a lot of it on himself.
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
Mitchell is singled out because he is a precocious talent who is wasting his natural gifts by exhibiting flu like symptoms.
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
He is singled out because he draws attention to himself. Why did Freddy drop him from SOO? He has since tested negative to Coronavirus. Apparently he underwent a brain scan at the same time & it tested negative as well.
rayner
Roar Rookie
Headlines like this are just clickbait. Why signal out Mitchell? There were two others as well so why not them? The guy is a young 22 year old but you make him the human headline. No wonder media people, of which this is a part, are on the nose with the public - an assertion based on my daily interaction with many sports lovers on a number of forums.