South Sydney are weighing up their next options in the Latrell Mitchell saga, after being told by the NRL their fullback would have to serve his one-game ban next year.
The NRL confirmed on Friday the Rabbitohs’ last-round match against the Sydney Roosters could not count towards Mitchell’s ban, with the league not satisfied that Mitchell is fit.
Mitchell has not played since injuring his foot against Penrith on July 4. The Rabbitohs said last month he would not play again this season.
After he was hit with a one-game ban for a photo that showed him with white powder, Souths pushed for Mitchell to be considered fit and eligible to serve the ban.
However, the NRL stepped in to end the long-running argument on Friday morning, less than 12 hours out from the Rabbitohs’ clash with the Roosters.
Latrell Mitchell. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
“The NRL has informed South Sydney Rabbitohs that Latrell Mitchell will not serve his suspension in round 27,” an NRL spokesperson said.
“Based on information provided, the NRL is not satisfied that the player is fit and available to play in round 27.
“The NRL sought clarification and further information from the club concerning the player’s fitness and availability to participate in the match, including a fitness assessment.
“Despite several requests, this was not provided in the time required to make a proper and informed assessment of the player’s fitness to participate in the match this evening.
“The player will serve the one-match suspension when he is fit and available to play in the 2025 NRL season.”
However AAP has been told that South Sydney are yet to close the door on the matter.
The club did not make public comment on Friday, nor release a statement as is traditionally the case when NRL-imposed bans are handed down.
Officially, the reasoning for that is the club wanted to keep the focus on the field ahead of Damien Cook and Tom Burgess’ last game, as well as celebrations to honour new immortal Ron Coote.
But AAP understands Rabbitohs officials will consider their next steps in the Mitchell situation over the weekend and into next week, and how they respond.
Souths have previously sought legal advice around the NRL’s handling of the Mitchell process, and whether he could be subjected to an independent fitness test on Thursday.
Players are traditionally able to serve bans while injured, with Canterbury lock Jaeman Salmon and Parramatta second-rower Kelma Tuilagi doing so this year.
But the NRL have argued that Mitchell’s case is different to others, given he was already out injured when he was accused of bringing the game into disrepute.
The Rabbitohs had been adamant that should not matter, and then sought three separate medical reports to convince the NRL that Mitchell was fit to play this week.
The situation at one stage grew even more comical, when Souths attempted to play Mitchell in Friday night’s match once initially told he could not serve his ban.
Mitchell also took to social media stating he was ready, and demanding answers from the NRL.
But that push too was shut down, given Mitchell was not named on the Rabbitohs’ 22-man team list on Tuesday afternoon.
Ultimately the decision means the fullback will be forced to sit out the first game of South Sydney’s 2025 season under returning coach Wayne Bennett, assuming he is fit.
His ban will serve as another hangover in what has been a miserable season for the Rabbitohs, who sacked coach Jason Demetriou in May and will likely finish the year in 15th.
It is also the latest escalation in tensions between the NRL and South Sydney management, with Rabbitohs CEO Blake Solly having been a long-time critic of league bosses.
‘Short memories’: Billy Walters whacks Kevvie critics
Billy Walters has hit back at critics of coach and father Kevvie, as the Broncos’ season came to an end with an ugly 50-12 loss to the Storm at Suncorp Stadium.
Off the back of a thrilling grand final loss to Penrith in 2023, Brisbane have failed dismally to bounce back from last year’s heartbreak, and will finish 12th with a 10-14 record.
However, speaking on Triple M, Walters said critics of the under-fire coach ‘have short memories’.
“He took a team from [a] wooden spoon to within five or 20 minutes of winning a comp, to be beaten by probably the best team in the last 40 years,” the younger Walters said.
“I think it’s pretty harsh criticism but it is what it is.
For Billy, the reason for the Broncos’ fall from grace is twofold: the loss of key players Tom Flegler, Kurt Capewell, Keenan Palasia and Herbie Farnworth to rivals before the start of the season, and a debilitating injury toll that has seen captain Adam Reynolds and star fullback Reece Walsh, among others, miss large chunks of the year.
“I don’t want to make excuses, but we lost four really good players last year in Capes, Fleg, Herbie and Keenan,” Walters said.
“As good as these young boys’ futures are at our club at the moment, they probably got thrust into the spotlight [early].
“We were probably one of the hunted teams with the year we had last year and unfortunately we didn’t handle it well this year but hopefully they all learn from it and bounce back next year.”
Broncos coach Kevin Walters. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Storm breathe sigh of relief as Katoa escapes ban for high shot
Melbourne forward Eliesa Katoa was sin-binned and put on report for a hit on Brisbane fullback Tristan Sailor that could have ramifications for their finals campaign.
The independent doctor ruled that Sailor did not need to go off for an HIA in the 61st minute of the Storm’s 50-12 thrashing, suggesting he was not hit high with any force.
Katoa was charged with a Grade 1 Careless High Tackle for the hit on the fullback.
He is facing a fine of $1800-$2500 and is free to play in the opening week of the NRL finals.
“We will be able to use that to our advantage I would imagine,” Storm coach Craig Bellamy said.
“From where I was sitting I didn’t think it was too bad and I was surprised that he went to the bin.”
Bellamy had good news about first choice fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen, who suffered bone bruising to his leg in last week’s loss to North Queensland.
Papenhuyzen is on track to play the first week of the finals after his replacement Sua Fa’alogo tweaked a hamstring against Brisbane.
“At a pinch Paps could have played this week but we didn’t want to take that risk,” Bellamy said.
“We didn’t want him to pull up sore and not train all next week leading into the finals so we thought that was the best way to go.
“The medical staff seem to think Paps will be fine for next week.”
Bellamy said Fa’alogo felt “a pop” in his hamstring but there was hope it was not as bad as first thought.
The pocket rocket, who will go for scans, ran for 208m and had two try assists in a dynamic 57-minute display. He would be a dangerous bench option later in the finals if he can recover.
“He is a great runner of the footy and like lightning,” Bellamy said.
“The more games we can get him the more he is going to learn about the game and the better player he will be.”
The Storm have had injuries like all clubs this season, including missing star No.6 Cameron Munster for 10 weeks in the middle of the year with a groin problem, but still managed 19 wins to finish top of the table.
“The guys that have come in have done such a good job, like Wishy (Tyran Wishart), Grant Anderson and Jack Howarth,” Bellamy said.
“They have really performed. Sometimes you put a player in and he is not ready for first grade but these guys after a week or two have grabbed the opportunity, run with it and made a success of it.”
Bellamy has won three premierships as Storm coach and is in a strong position to challenge for a fourth.
“You would love to win a grand final,” he said. “They are hard to win and hard to get to. You have to do a lot of things right. Hopefully we can play our best footy in the next month.”
The Storm will host a qualifying final next week against the fourth-placed team.
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Knights gear up for all possibilities
In music to Ricky Stuart and Shane Flanagan’s ears, Newcastle coach Adam O’Brien says he is preparing his side to go 90 minutes in their winner-takes-all clash with the Dolphins.
The winner of Knights-Dolphins is guaranteed a spot in the NRL finals, but if it ends in a draw that honour will go to whoever is victorious out of Saturday’s encounter between Stuart’s Raiders and Flanagan’s Dragons.
After the Knights and the Dolphins both scored big wins in their penultimate-round wins against Gold Coast and Brisbane, respectively, O’Brien thinks Sunday’s game will go down to the wire.
“I think it’ll be much tighter,” he said.
“Well, that’s the way we’re preparing for it. If it takes 90 minutes, then so be it. We’re in for the long haul.”
Dane Gagai’s kicking game was all that separated the two sides in their earlier meeting this season, with both teams scoring three tries apiece in the Knights’ 18-14 triumph.
Newcastle have the home-ground advantage but there are scant clues to pick a favourite.
Both sides sit on 28 competition points after 11 wins and 12 losses, with the Dolphins’ superior for-and-against giving them a momentary edge on the ladder.
Given what’s on the line, the sell-out McDonald Jones Stadium crowd could be set for a thrilling finish.
“It’ll be two teams very similar in styles going at it,” O’Brien said.
“Both teams like a high completion rate game. It’d be good to be sitting on the hill on Sunday afternoon watching these two teams go at it for a result that’s really important to both clubs.”
The 46-year-old is looking for another powerful performance from second-rower Brodie Jones, who set up a try and made 115 metres with the ball against the Titans.
O’Brien scuppered speculation the off-contract Hunter junior could be squeezed out of the Newcastle set-up because of an overabundance of forward talent.
“Absolutely,” O’Brien said when asked if Jones would be at the club next year.
“He’s done a hell of a job. Local boy, come through our system, developed him. Yeah, he’s someone that we’re really proud of with where he’s got to on his journey, and I know that he would want to stay as well.”
with AAP