Star fullback Latrell Mitchell will return a week earlier than expected after the NRL relented to South Sydney’s demands that the All Stars game should count towards his suspension but he is still not happy with the judiciary process.
Mitchell was initially banned until round three when the Rabbitohs face his old team, the Roosters, but NRL judiciary chair Geoff Bellew has agreed to a request for the NSW representative to play in week two of the season against the Storm in Melbourne on March 17.
The NRL had originally declared Mitchell could not play in the All Stars game but stated it was not part of his suspension.
After playing for the Indigenous team in every All Stars match since 2017, Mitchell has been granted permission for that game to be included in his six-game ban for a high shot on Roosters centre Joey Manu late last season which ultimately rubbed him out of South Sydney’s grand final appearance against Penrith.
Mitchell was eligible to play in South Sydney’s two trials because his charge was only a grade-two offence but after sitting out their game against North Queensland in Mackay last weekend, he has not been named in the squad for this Saturday night’s Charity Shield against the Dragons in Mudgee.
“I’ll keep playing the way I do,” Mitchell told AAP on Tuesday when asked about his aggressive style.
“I don’t see why I have to. It’s the game of rugby league, I entertain. I sell tickets, so that’s what I aim to do. You can have 10 good things, and in a split second you can do one thing wrong. But that’s how the game is.”
Mitchell went even harder on Nine News.
“I don’t think I need to [change the way I play], I think the game needs to change,” Mitchell said.
Asked if the aggression has gone out of the NRL, Mitchell said, “I don’t know, we may as well play Oztag”.
“At the end of the day, it’s a game and we have to protect our players.
“There’s a split second you can’t control and that’s how it is. That’s rugby league.”
His plight has prompted calls for a review of the NRL judiciary system with the Rabbitohs club unhappy with the weighting of penalties.
Loading for previous indiscretions can add 50% to a ban for similar offences or 20% for other incidents from the previous two years.
Mitchell would have been able to play in the premiership decider if he did not have loading added to his ban.
“The process is a bit unfair, but I don’t really want to comment on that,” Mitchell said. “It’s just how the game is and I have got over it. We’ll leave it in the back pocket, it’s a bit of fuel. I don’t want to comment (more) on that, that is (for) the NRL.
“They have to take it on board and have accountability for what is going on. I have to keep playing the game and keep entertaining.”
Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou has named a near full-strength side for the clash with St George Illawarra with Lachlan Ilias to partner Cody Walker in the halves following captain Adam Reynolds’ off-season switch to Brisbane.
Jaxson Paulo, who played strongly against the Cowboys, has been named at centre alongside Campbell Graham while Blake Taaffe, as he did at the end of last season, is occupying Mitchell’s No.1 jersey.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys are the only other team which has announced their team for week two of the trials with coach Todd Payten switching Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow to fullback and Valentine Holmes to centre.
Chad Townsend is set to start the season in the halves with Tom Dearden to get the first half at five-eighth on Saturday against the Broncos and Scott Drinkwater to finish the match.
Jason Taumalolo will skip the trial to rest a minor hamstring problem before round one.
1 Blake Taaffe
2 Alex Johnston
3 Jaxson Paulo
4 Campbell Graham
5 Josh Mansour
6 Cody Walker
7 Lachlan Ilias
8 Junior Tatola
9 Damien Cook
10 Hame Sele
11 Keaon Koloamatangi
12 Jai Arrow
13 Mark Nicholls
Interchange
14 Dean Hawkins
15 Siliva Havili
16 Thomas Burgess
17 Jacob Host
18 Michael Chee Kam
19 Josiah Karapani
20 Richie Kennar
21 Davvy Moale
22 Romano Cook
23 Terrell Kalo Kalo
24 Taane Milne
Interchange
Rossi
Roar Rookie
I haven't seen anyone besides Joey agree with Gus on this stuff!
Rossi
Roar Rookie
Hip drop? He was just tackling the bloke ffs. And now Tamou smashes a bloke in mid air and gets a week!
Dumbo
Roar Rookie
If I were a betting man, I would place a small wager on Latrell playing at the Dolphins in 2023. Wayne could (just about) keep him focused on the job. Jason Demetriou may decide that he can do without such a high-maintenance guy, and shuffle him off.
GeorgeO
Roar Rookie
one thing he doesn't do is think (is he even capable of thinking)
GeorgeO
Roar Rookie
what do you mean "Fuimaono did nothing illegal" it was a hip drop tackle, they have been outlawed for obvious reasons, the player he hit is out for the season
EastOfDivide
Guest
Just wondered if anyone who is tackled by Mitchell this season is allowed to kick him in the head, break his jaw & walk away without suspension? As they can just run the footage of Mitchell doing that to Brimson. He wasn’t suspended for that. So they can’t suspend anyone for doing that to him.
Big Daddy
Roar Rookie
Latrell bags the NRL without blinking to an eye , it's like playing Oztag, I'm not changing , they need to change , so they reward him with a suspension reduction . Go figure .
Texasman
Roar Rookie
I smashed my friend’s face and put him in hospital and lost my team the 2021 premiership but I don’t need to change.
Big Daddy
Roar Rookie
The NRL have sent the benchmark . They have to reduce it . What else can they do . Sure Storm will be there with an appeal .
Rossi
Roar Rookie
Seems he can do no wrong to the fools in head office
Rossi
Roar Rookie
So cheese will return a week earlier from his cola ban?
Rossi
Roar Rookie
6 weeks was lenient, and now it's only 5 weeks!
Rossi
Roar Rookie
I don't agree with the injury thing at all, if Latrell hit say JWH his big biofhead would have barely bruised and Latrell misses 1 week. If he hit Sam Walker he'd have near killed him. And Fuimaono did nothing illegal, the bloke got injured so they suspended him which is rubbish
terrence
Roar Rookie
if he was playing union, he'll never play a pro footy game ever again..in union, no player is bigger than the game..
Big Daddy
Roar Rookie
One thing that has escaped everyone is now this decision to reduce his suspension is Brandon Smith should get an automatic reduction in his . They have used Mitchell as the benchmark and any other player who would have been available for all stars or Maori side is treated on a similar basis if they were suspended . They have made a mockery of the rules on this occasion and I just can't wait to see how the NRL treat this .
LuckyPhil
Roar Rookie
C'mon, it's not Latrell's fault Manu decided to put his head on top of his shoulders. The game is getting soft and Manu should have known better than run at Lattrel
Mick Gold Coast QLD
Roar Guru
They are too afraid to sanction Wonder Boy – head office cannot have the code’s fashionable pin up’s public image damaged; and we have just seen how he expects, and gets, special treatment before the judicial system. He can say what he likes, the judiciary is obliged to show no bias no matter how well deserved. He treated that referee who (most reluctantly) sent him off in the Easts match as the inconsequential hired help. Mitchell is on the crest of a wave, every pat on the head in these past two or three years has emboldened him. In the televised interview shown elsewhere at The Roar - have a look at the smirk on his face, it speaks volumes about this bloke.
Censored Often
Roar Rookie
DO people actually support anything Phil Gould says?
Censored Often
Roar Rookie
Drawing a long bow mate, a very different game back then and a very different (deliberate) attempt to seriously hurt an opponent. Mitchell's efforts over the years seem to be rank stupidity and general hits on people unaware he's even coming (really tough stuff from the kid). Although I must admit to being a dinosaur and most definitely rate the game much better in the 70's and 80's than the high speed speed, contact sanitised stuff we have now.
Andy F
Roar Rookie
Million dollar talent with a five cent brain. I think life after football, which could be a lot sooner than he thinks, is going to be very difficult for Latrell.