Latrell Mitchell looks set to serve his one-match suspension for the infamous white substance photo incident in the Rabbitohs’ clash with the Roosters this week — much to the dismay of the NRL 360 panel.
Mitchell received a one-match suspension and a $20,000 fine from the NRL over the leaked image of him standing over a white substance. The Rabbitohs also fined him $100,000, with $80,000 of that suspended.
There’s been question marks over when Mitchell would serve the ban given he’s currently out with a foot injury.
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The NRL stated it will be served when the star fullback is “fit and available to return from injury” — which the Rabbitohs are trying to prove is this week despite interim coach Ben Hornby previously ruling him out for the season in a press conference.
News Corp reported on Tuesday that the Rabbitohs had submitted paperwork to the NRL to prove the 27-year-old is fit to play this week and so should be able to serve his suspension during Friday’s clash with the Roosters.
As part of the submission, Mitchell reportedly saw two separate orthopaedic surgeons to get the all clear.
News Corp journalist Dave Riccio told NRL 360 that he “anticipates this will go through” although joked: “The documentation must be arriving by fax machine because this is taking so long to determine”
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“They’ll be able to use the match, they’ll be able to prove that he would’ve been selected, that he’s fit enough to play and therefore that he can serve his match,” he added.
Rugby league legend Gorden Tallis and veteran journalist Paul Crawley, however, believe the fact Mitchell could be cleared to serve his ban this week is a bit of a joke given he had previously been declared out for the season.
“Normally if you’re fit enough to play you’ve got to train for a couple of weeks,” Tallis said.
Crawley believes the looming decision “makes a mockery” of the suspension and pointed to vision of Mitchell casually on an exercise bike at training this week.
“He’s sitting on the bike laughing, having a great time. Where’s the lesson? It’s an absolute gee-up that this was allowed to happen, that the NRL allowed it, that Souths wanted to do it,” he said.
“They keep threatening… a $100,000 fine but $80,000 of it suspended… it’s like threatening the kids all the time ‘I’m going to take the mobile phone’ but they never do.”
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Tallis then added to the parenting analogy.
“You go to the park and the parents always think their kids do the right thing, this is that perfect scenario where Souths are sticking up for their kid and he hasn’t learned a lesson.
“It’s going to be so small… one match… They’ve made a mockery of it.”
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Crawley believes though Mitchell will get a big shock when Wayne Bennett arrives to the club ahead of next season — but has highlighted the big task ahead of the mastercoach when it comes to the Rabbitohs’ marquee man.
“Latrell’s going to face the music this summer when Wayne Bennett arrives,” Crawley said.
“Bennett has proven in the past that if he doesn’t think he can win with you, you won’t be staying.
“While Latrell looks to have gotten off lightly here, the challenge for Wayne this summer is to come in there and change this bloke’s attitude.
“If you look at the football South Sydney have played overall this year, you probably take two or three players out of that team and most of them need an attitude adjustment.”
