South Sydney Rabbitohs rage about Latrell Mitchell coverage – MASHAHER

Some media have struggled to hide their view of what they call “the Indigenous stuff”. It’s been hard for Souths to watch and they are after action.

Unleashing Trell

Mitchell is a hard one to get close to, but Blues coach Michael Maguire has started making subtle inquiries to those who know him best in an effort to work out how to bring the best out of the Rabbitohs No.1.

Maguire has told those who understand Mitchell best that he wants the key to unlock the South Sydney star. Mitchell has shown he can be destructive in the Origin arena, but he has hardly played for the Blues in recent times: no games in the past two years due to injury and just seven matches in six years since his debut in 2018.

Mitchell’s ability has never been in question and Maguire will need him to commit and be fit come game one on June 5.

Loading

It is hard to get an insight into the real Latrell Mitchell, but those at training on Monday got a sneak peek of the person his teammates love and respect. After spending time with some fans, Mitchell walked around the players’ enclosure at Heffron Park gathering every bit of rubbish left behind. There were no cameras on him and no one else there to watch him, other than a couple of lurking journalists.

Even though he gives the impression nothing affects him, Mitchell was vulnerable and emotional in his meeting with NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo on Wednesday night. Mitchell was apologetic for his behaviour during the Triple M interview.

His tough exterior is nearly impossible to crack, but there is a fragility beneath the bravado.
Abdo met Mitchell at his Rugby League Central office in Moore Park. The NRL boss recognised Mitchell has one of the strongest voices in the game and wants him to use it for good.

Channel Nine commentator Phil Gould summed up the situation with Mitchell as only he can. “If Latrell Mitchell wants respect, he needs to show respect,” Gould said on 100% Footy.

Cleaning up everybody else’s mess at training is an indication that maybe the penny has dropped.

Family feud

The NRL integrity unit is investigating an alleged physical altercation between leading player agent Chris Orr and his son in Las Vegas. The family incident also came to the attention of Las Vegas police.

The NRL has even more interest in the matter because Orr was heavily involved in the running of the NRL’s talent search in Vegas.

I interviewed Orr at the venue 20 minutes away from the Strip and it was clear he has a big role in the program. Orr and his brother, Gavin, were the only agents at the event when I was there. Chris Orr did not respond to calls for comment.

Half the battle

Broncos captain Adam Reynolds has shown class by reaching out to dumped South Sydney halfback Lachlan Ilias.

Reynolds has long been an admirer of Ilias and knows he has had a hard time of it since the Rabbitohs missed the finals last year. Reynolds was a favourite son at Souths and is well aware of the expectation on the halfback.

“I won’t go into the exact things that I said to Lachie, but it was along the lines of checking on him to see if he was OK as a person first of all,” Reynolds said.

Loading

“Playing halfback isn’t easy and you know in that position that it’s your job to own the result … I’m not saying he deserved to be dropped by any means, but now that this has happened to him, he’s got to take the time to get back to being the player he can be, and he has shown in the past. But he can succeed at the highest level of club football. Don’t forget, he’s taken his team deep into the finals.”

F-bombs away

The NRL could be excused for dropping a few of its own “F-bombs” during the week with more swearing from players attracting attention – this time on a Storm podcast featuring Cameron Munster, Jahrome Hughes and Ryan Papenhuyzen.

On the same day Abdo met with Mitchell to discuss his expletive-laden interview, the Melbourne trio dropped a podcast that has caught the eye of some at the governing body. In the third episode of The Clubhouse podcast, which is hosted by the Storm trio, the players recount Xavier Coates’ miracle try last weekend.

The group, imitating Storm coach Craig Bellamy, dropped six F-bombs in a two-minute clip posted on Fox Sports under the headline “What the f— does that mean?: Munster reveals Bellamy’s hilarious reaction to epic game winner”.

While the context is entirely different, Souths officials are privately seething about the Fox Sports headline, given the criticism of Mitchell during the past week. They have also noted that Munster is managed by Braith Anasta, who hosts Fox Sports’ NRL360 program, which was highly critical of Latrell for swearing.

Cult hero ‘lost’ without footy

After 53 straight years in league, one of the game’s most well-known figures, Ron Palmer, admits he is struggling without a place in football.

Palmer, 73, was let go by Wests Tigers and many thought it was a happy conclusion to his professional career. However, he still wants to be involved in the game.

For the uninitiated, Palmer played for Balmain, but became a cult hero as a trainer with the Roosters, Panthers, Tigers, Eels, Titans, NSW Blues and Kangaroos.

“I’ve been feeling a bit lost,” Palmer said. “I’ll see people walking down the street and they’ll ask me how I’m going and ask me if I’m OK, and I tell them I’ve got this or that planned.

Loading

“But the truth is, I’ve got nothing on the horizon and I still wish that I did. I love the game, I love training players and I love being involved with professional sportsmen, and I really would like to continue my involvement in rugby league. I know I’ve had a great run and I’m lucky to have had the time I’ve had, but I feel like I’ve got more to contribute in the area of training.

“I know the days of me being the head of a high-performance team have probably passed me by, but I’d like to still be involved and share my knowledge. I know you can’t be part-time in rugby league, so I’m prepared to commit to whatever is required.

“I’m not asking anyone to feel sorry for me — this is not poor Ron speaking — but when I see people and they ask if I’m OK … I don’t want to have to say I am when I’m really wanting to be back in the game.”

Palmer had 24 years’ involvement with the NSW State of Origin side and has had a long association with the likes of Phil Gould and Raiders coach Ricky Stuart. Those men, and others, have stayed in touch with Palmer.

“Even someone like [Roosters great] Luke Ricketson asked me how I was going and talked to me about when he had to transition out of the game and how it was difficult,” Palmer said. “I’d like to end my time in the game on my terms and not someone else’s. That’s not my ego talking, it’s just how I feel and what I’d like to make me comfortable when Imove into the next stage of my life.”

Action Jackson

The false reports about Jackson Hastings refusing to train with the Knights’ NSW Cup side are damaging to a player who has long been labelled as difficult. On the day Hastings was axed, there was no NSW Cup training run because they had the day off. He was at training the next day at 7am.

Wayne and suffering

Don’t think for a moment Wayne Bennett didn’t love getting one over Shane Flanagan when the Dolphins belted the Dragons 38-0 last week. Bennett has never had time for Flanagan after his actions at the Sharks led to two bans.

Flanagan met agent Mario Tartak on Thursday. Tartak was there to talk about close friend Scott Fulton. Things did not pan out for Fulton at the Tigers but he and Flanagan have a great relationship.