Latrell laments lapse in discipline after hard work to remove ‘grubby stuff’
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Latrell Mitchell has voiced his disappointment after being suspended for Friday week’s must-win match against the Sydney Roosters, saying he had worked overtime to remove the “grubby stuff” from his game and had been looking forward to “putting bums on seats”.
Mitchell will miss one match after South Sydney entered an early guilty plea for his high shot on Newcastle’s Tyson Frizell on Sunday.
The match review committee confirmed it had hit Mitchell with a grade-two dangerous contact charge – rather than a grade one, which was punishable by a $1000 fine – because his actions were deemed “reckless rather than careless”.
“The initial point of contact was Tyson Frizell’s back, but there was subsequent contact with the head,” an NRL spokesman said.
Mitchell attended the weigh-in on Tuesday for the Nikita Tszyu-Jack Brubaker fight in Sydney, and said he was upset with his actions – especially as Souths must beat their oldest rivals next week to guarantee a spot in the finals.
“I’ve worked really hard to get this stuff out of my game, those brain snaps, and I’ve tried to mature a lot,” Mitchell told Nine’s Emma Lawrence.
Latrell Mitchell at Tuesday’s weigh-in for boxer Nikita Tszyu’s fight this week.
“I haven’t had an incident since 2021, since [a high shot on] Joey Manu. I’ve worked really hard to get myself back to playing footy and enjoying it and getting that grubby stuff out of my game.
“I’m disappointed I can’t be there for my teammates [next Friday], which hurts the most, and my club, and definitely Jason [Demetriou, coach].
“But I back the boys. Blake Taaffe is ready, he’s been playing really well in NSW Cup, and he’s been killing it.”
Mitchell and Frizell had a run-in earlier in the game on Sunday, before the Souths No.1 snapped and came down on the back of his former NSW Origin teammate.
Latrell Mitchell elbowing Tyson Frizell in the head.Credit: Fox League
“Tyson’s experience got me, he got in my head, he played the game really well,” Mitchell said.
“I messaged him straight after the game. Tyson knows where I stand. I was very apologetic. I’m disappointed in myself because one of my goals was to not get suspended.”
Mitchell was a huge drawcard for the Accor Stadium clash against the Roosters. Souths officials were banking on more than 50,000 fans turning up.
The Roosters are shooting for a fourth straight win against the Wests Tigers on Saturday, and can leapfrog Souths by prevailing in the final round.
Last year’s elimination final between the sides was one of the wildest games in the modern era, and featured seven sin-binnings.
“It’s what people buy tickets for, I put bums on seats, and that’s the game everyone wants to come and watch,” Mitchell said.
“Go back to sin-bin Sunday [the elimination final], that’s a game you want to be a part of.
“It burns me I can’t be there to play that game. I’ll wear it. I’m just happy I’ve made amends with big ‘Tys Friz’.”
Mitchell would not be drawn on reports he and Cody Walker wielded too much power at South Sydney.
Meanwhile, Demetriou confirmed he had apologised to forward Jacob Host following revelations he had liked a social media post ridiculing him and former forward Liam Knight after a loss earlier in the season.
Demetriou said he had since returned to Instagram to unlike the comment, which described Host and Knight as “clowns pretending to be first graders”.
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