Latrell Mitchell says he “faked being happy for 10 months” as his ultimately successful legal battle cast a long shadow over a tumultuous year on and off the field.
Mitchell and soon-to-be South Sydney teammate Jack Wighton were charged in February for “fighting” outside a Canberra night club during celebrations for the latter’s birthday.
Charges were eventually dropped in early November after the most senior police officer in the duo’s arrest admitted he lied while testifying under oath.
After being found not guilty, Mitchell described the charges and ensuing trial as a “traumatic experience”.
But he had not made his feelings about the legal ordeal known until appearing on the Let’s Trot podcast with former Rabbitohs teammate Josh Mansour on Wednesday.
“It was a long 10 months, it just dragged on,” the star fullback said.
“I knew I was innocent the whole time and just trying to prove that I was a good person and trying to fake being happy for 10 months was pretty hard. I’m glad it’s over.
“It’s something that’s been weighing on me for a long time and my family, probably my family moreso.
“Mental drag and just a ball-and-chain that I didn’t need. I’ve got a lot of them hanging around.
“I’m happier now, I’m back to being Latrell Mitchell. I can’t wipe the smile off my face.”
While the case cast a shadow off the field in 2023, Mitchell was also thwarted by a calf injury which didn’t help Souths as they dropped from ladder leaders after 11 rounds to ninth at season’s end.
Club legend Sam Burgess left his assistant-coaching job during the downward spiral amid claims head coach Jason Demetriou had been giving superstar players Mitchell and Cody Walker preferential treatment.
Demetriou and the playing group denied those suggestions at the time.
“It rattled me, I tell you what,” Mitchell said of Burgess’s exit.
“You try and say it didn’t affect you as a person (but) it’s started to drip into your personal life and footy.
“If you’re not happy on the field, you’re never going to perform on (it).”
Mitchell missed two months after injuring his calf in NSW camp for the State of Origin series opener, with the Rabbitohs winning only two of seven games in his absence.
“It was just hard for me to come back and try and find that form again,” he said.
Latrell Mitchell with Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
“It was 10 weeks too long (injured), where I wasn’t looked after the way I should have been.
“(The idea) that, ‘Oh it’s all right, Latrell’s back, we’ll be right again, we’ll win again’, just the pressure of that got to me a little bit.
“But other than that I think we just lost that drive, that connection too, confidence.”
The tumultuous year has steeled the dual-premiership winner to want to help the Rabbitohs deliver their 22nd title in 2024.
“Everything they’ve been able to sacrifice for me and give to me, I haven’t delivered since I’ve been there in a sense where a comp is something everyone wants,” he said.
The Sporacle
Roar Rookie
I don’t need to know Mitchell personally to understand and form an opinion about his personality and nature But that opinion about his personality and nature may be ill-conceived because you don't actually now him personally. Judging him as a player, fine.... Judging him personally.....
Succhi
Roar Rookie
When you are a high profile player on a fairly big pay packet, every move, injury, comment, remark, mistake, misdemeanour whether guilty or innocent, will make its way into the media and you will be continuously judged by the public. Yes it’s a lot of pressure and may not always be fair but it is the life you choose.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
As for the long game - in 2026 when Tedesco will be retired, Mitchell will turn 30. Hardly the time to make a switch to fullback. I definitely don't think forgoing the ability to develop as one and earn fullback money from 2020-2025 would be playing the long game...
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
The Roosters developed him.They also knew how to manage him which helped his development! He won 2 premierships with the Roosters and was a stand out in representative games whilst under contract at the Chooks. He also looked like an athlete! He was dropped from the NSW team in his last year at the Chooks...
Muzz Manyana
Roar Rookie
Hey Choo Choo, it's all about the long game if you wish to have a Stella career and be respected by your peers. The Roosters developed him.They also knew how to manage him which helped his development! He won 2 premierships with the Roosters and was a stand out in representative games whilst under contract at the Chooks. He also looked like an athlete! He's a f ool for leaving. His game has gone backwards. There's always a drama in his life since he moved to the Bunnies. He'll call it quits when he thinks he has enough money to retire. I wish him all the best however I don't buy into all of his poor me excuses.
Muzz Manyana
Roar Rookie
Rotten apples as in Ashley Klein?
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
The Roosters were flexible granting him leave on numerous occasions. He wanted $1 million a year in which the Roosters couldn’t agree on so he signs with Souths for $800k a year. Eventually he would get a shot at fullback and more money once Teddy retired. And since then he has signed another contract at Souths as a fullback. So sure if he waited until 2026, took less money for 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, his time at fullback would have come
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
Arresting someone or giving them a ticket is a process that takes more time than a referee has to make a decision, and the frequency that minorities have been arrested/fined for disorderly conduct is disproportionate to the rest of the popular, as opposed to referees favouring one side over another, but the side they favour being different depending on who you ask. And in saying that, I'm not attacking the force in general, just the rotten apples that skew the numbers. My point was made in response to the claim or disorderly behavior, and my response was that that was open to interpretation.
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
Jack de Belin, also did nothing wrong in a legal context but I recon he wishes he just went home earlier.
Muzz Manyana
Roar Rookie
"inconsistent?" You're the first one to jump up and down and defend the referees if someones refers to their interpretation of the rules as "inconsistent" and now you're showing disrespect to the police force. lol
Robbo
Roar Rookie
They were charged with fight in public place, affray and resisting arrest. They were fighting....they had to be separated - cops saw that. They were charged with affray - read that definition mate. Cops saw that too. I dont know whether they resisted or not but experience tells me they would have flexed up a bit at least and slowed any move on process down. Hindsight says cops didn't act quite appropriately. You must think its easy being a cop.
Muzz Manyana
Roar Rookie
Mitchell stated in August 2023 that he was in the best physical and mental shape of his career and now we’re meant to believe that he was just faking it. FFS I don’t need to know Mitchell personally to understand and form an opinion about his personality and nature. I’ve seen him deliberately cause serious injury to other players. Abuse opposition crowds telling them to go and get f ke d. He wasn’t available for Kangaroo selection due to an injured finger then turns up and plays in the Koori Knockout. He is the games most sin binned player. What does that tell you about his nature??? The Roosters were flexible granting him leave on numerous occasions. He wanted $1 million a year in which the Roosters couldn’t agree on so he signs with Souths for $800k a year. The same amount that was on offer at the Roosters. Eventually he would get a shot at fullback and more money once Teddy retired. He’s fallen out with player managers, SOO coaches and he want’s to be the games best ever indigenous player. He couldn’t lace Beetson’s boots! Next season will be no different. More dramas and more excuses!
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
Disorderly is such an ambiguous term, and its application by police is... how can I put this... inconsistent.
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
Because no one has been wrongfully convicted of a crime in history… The fact that the case even made it to court displays the gravity of the situation. What does Arthur Beetson have to do with anything? Do you know Mitchell personally, with insights into his behaviour as a private citizen when you suggest he is mentally weak, selfish, etc? Robinson also had the incumbent test fullback on the books. That seems like a factor in not moving another player to fullback. Public opinion does not always equate to an appropriate position to hold on an issue, but you should probably reflect upon the fact that almost everyone on here so far disagrees with you.
Robbo
Roar Rookie
Where you there you silly man?! It is 100% the definition. Read it again and then watch the video. There is abuse and violence. Then you can apologise for calling me a liar. I dont know what they were charged with but that behaviour is disorderly every time of the day, any day of the week, and in any public environment. If they behave like grown-ups in a public setting they don't have to deal with the fuzz. And if you do, you wont be so inciteful or insulting in the safety of your own anonymity
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
Hang on? Wasn’t the outcome that they were innocent and police made up the accusations?
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
So you’re admitting he was forced to face court for a crime, and expend a lot of money on said legal representation, he didn’t commit?
Ed Flanders
Roar Rookie
That’s not disorderly behaviour. Have a read of the definition of what it is…it’s nowhere near it. Boisterous, animated and loud. No doubt. If it was happening on a quiet residential treat it would be disorderly, but not on a street with a strip of bars in the evening. There was no bottle smashing, no abuse being directed at anyone, no violence to anyone. No disturbing of the public peace (again, strip of bars on a known drinking night). The police are obliged to deal with it when it becomes disorderly. And like i said, if it was disorderly behaviour, they would have been found guilty of it without the testimony of the police. The charges were dropped because there was no disorderly behaviour.
Ed Flanders
Roar Rookie
It’s not equivalent but a female shouldn’t have to worry about what happens walking alone through a dark park. But they rightly do. Actually, it's a superb analogy. Because too often the woman also gets questioned by people as to why she was walking in the park. I think it would be perfectly professional for the police to say “hey guys nights over head home”. But they didn't do that. And had they done that, there wouldn't have been any news and no one would be discussing this.
Robbo
Roar Rookie
The video shows disorderly behaviour - lucky a little old lady wasn't walking past. Not making anything up. And yep the police are obliged to deal with that stuff. My wording might not be correct but you know what I mean. There's no lies here mate