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Joined March 2024
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Whether it is for his football form or comments around his Aboriginal heritage, Mitchell may just be the most talked about player in the history of the game.
We might just go in circles with this – I was trying to open some eyes to perspective and the chance to look at both sides of the argument. I agree in regard to Mithcell’s arrogance has certainly led to his demise and a perception that he is bigger than the game for which criticism is deserved. But the way you brush off racism and Mitchell’s want to be involved in Indigenous issues is very poor form.
Do you go at Nathan Cleary, Josh Dugan and Wayne Bennett for breaking COVID protocols? Should they have been thinking about everyone else who lost loved ones during that tough time? or just Mitchell? We all did it tough during that time but it is quite naive to single out Mitchell, plenty of people in the community were breaking those laws.
Also the comment re careers don’t end over racism – they do mate. Assuming you haven’t seen the Adam Goodes doco? Eddie Betts another one in the AFL who copped it. Timana Tahu dropped himself from an origin side due to racial comments from Andrew Johns. If you asked Indigenous players how they felt being racially vilified by fans or opposing players and I bet the hurt is signficantly deeper than you think.
Latrell is rugby league's clickbait magnet - and it's time to leave him alone
Have to disagree mate – not trying to fuel any fire. Not really sure what you mean when it is apparently my types fault, however all I’m trying to do is have a collaborative conversation where we can look at both sides. I’m not playing ‘poor Latrell’ – I highlighted a number of times he does a lot of things that unfortunately hurt his own reputation. Yet I am also highlighting that there are deeper issues at hand that go beyond the footy field. If anyone is fueling a fire it’s those who have to react with outlandish statements and create hysteria they wouldn’t make about any other footballer.
Latrell is rugby league's clickbait magnet - and it's time to leave him alone
Agree mate have been to a few Souths games this year and felt the same. Couldn’t agree more with your last comment.
Latrell is rugby league's clickbait magnet - and it's time to leave him alone
You can’t have the now without the history unfortunately – however currently (as of 2023) some damning stats include:
– 10 years shorter life expectancy on average
– 40% of Indigenous Australians live without two or more essentials (Housing, Food, clean water), 30% more than non Indigenous.
– median income 60% lower
– 1/3 of all prisoners (put into perspective considering only 3% of total population)
as well as a heap of other health factors such as higher susceptibility to chronic conditions, diabetes and cancers.
My goal was not to make it an Aboriginal vs Non-Aboriginal vs PNG situation, I understand that many people grow up in tough situations and can bloom into great life stories. In reality wouldn’t you want to use that same logic to place more understanding to it? If you are happy to apply empathy to Olam’s situation why discredit someone else’s own tough upbringing?
I am not trying to pull aboriginal people down, in fact I have quite a few friends who are aboriginal and they are great people.
That’s great but would encourage you to ask more questions about what the situation is like for all Aboriginal people and not just a small group. I’m sure they have parents/grandparents/cousins/friends who have experienced the worst of the worst. Ask them about how far the “benefits” you mentioned previously have improved their lives
Latrell is rugby league's clickbait magnet - and it's time to leave him alone
What particular benefits are you referring to that leads to a heightened sense of self-entitlement? It is a fact that Aboriginal people in this country are significantly disadvantaged. Aboriginal people still have to go to work to feed their families like everyone else.
Latrell grew up in a pretty rough environment and a quick google search would tell you that he grew up with a lot of poor influences around him. He was lucky to have a father who played Rugby League at a relatively high level and used his story of being unable to crack first grade to help motivate his sons to go one better otherwise they might have went down a much more dangerous life path.
Latrell is rugby league's clickbait magnet - and it's time to leave him alone
I can’t recall nor find any specific comments from Mitchell himself, but the media humdrum has a role to play.
While Mitchell’s impact on Souths hasn’t been drastic, not many people seem to comment on the impact of him leaving the roosters. Since the back to back premierships they have been mostly scraping into the finals playing pretty inconsistent footy, with their highest finish being last years second week of the finals. Mitchell delivered massive plays in both grand final wins.
Latrell is rugby league's clickbait magnet - and it's time to leave him alone
I don’t really understand where this opinion comes from. Mitchell has had numerous suspensions in his career and not once have I seen him try to hide behind race to get out of it.
Latrell is rugby league's clickbait magnet - and it's time to leave him alone
Manu was making a half break and his body was lowered by a tackler from behind. The tackle was reckless and dangerous and deserved the consequences but in a game where we have had squirrel grips, stomping, biting, gouging it is far from the worst I’ve seen.
Latrell is rugby league's clickbait magnet - and it's time to leave him alone
I think this is a pretty good summation and agree with about all of it. Obviously can’t isolate to the reason why every individual does boo, but does feel pretty silly for it to occur on every touch of the ball. Another one I think that only LM (and maybe a very small number of players) have had to deal with in recent times
Latrell is rugby league's clickbait magnet - and it's time to leave him alone
Manu was making a half-break, and his body was lowered by a tackler from behind. The tackle from Latrell was reckless and dangerous, but in a game where we have seen squirrel grips, eye gouges, stomping, biting etc it is far from the worst I have ever seen.
I do believe he had believed in his own hype, around the time he left Easts, which was most likely fed by those around him and this has contributed to the downfall and inability to deliver on such great promises. It has clearly led to a pressure build up he was unable to deal with hence the silly decisions he has made so far this season.
So to some degree I agree with you re bad publicity being generated by their own actions, but a lot of the good that LM displays is far overshadowed by his poor on field conduct. In reality away from the field both Manu and Latrell should be well respected but the public perception is vastly different.
Latrell is rugby league's clickbait magnet - and it's time to leave him alone
Tend to agree re him putting his head down and working his backside off. Find it hard to agree that he wouldn’t be in the top 10. Off the top of my head I could think of a few players who constantly had the press whirring, but LM would be right near the top in the social media era
Latrell is rugby league's clickbait magnet - and it's time to leave him alone
Expected to receive this comment and fair enough. It is a somewhat contradictory article – however the point I tried to make early is that the media hysteria surrounding the bloke is now at the point where whichever decision he makes is being blown up under a microscope unlike any other player in the league (and yes some of it is well deserved on the back of his own poor behaviour)
Latrell is rugby league's clickbait magnet - and it's time to leave him alone
Went to the Good Friday game and at least 3 or 4 times the Bulldogs white headgear (of which they have a few) had me fooled thinking there was a knock on. Glad to know I’m not the only one
NRL Round 4 Talking Points: A month is done - let’s make some hard calls
I don’t have any issues with booing, but I find the “current players are soft” argument a tough one. Players back then didn’t have to deal with death threats in their Instagram DM’s, or NRL 360 spending hours every weeknight dissecting the mistakes they made. That’s not a comment in regard to Mitchell either just on the game in general. I don’t think they do have it easy. I think the expectations and scrutinisation of the game is much bigger now than back then.
Life has changed a lot since back then and the game has too. Mental health awareness is much better these days and we shouldn’t have to brush things off just because that’s the way it once was. What will it take for us to realise that? A player unfortunately taking their life or quitting the game early in their career.
Latrell is rugby league's clickbait magnet - and it's time to leave him alone