Rabbitohs crisis deepens with Latrell Mitchell facing four-match ban for dangerous contact
South Sydney’s nightmare NRL season has taken another hit with Latrell Mitchell facing a ban of up to four games following their loss to the Warriors.
A day after coach Jason Demetriou labelled Mitchell’s behaviour in two match incidents as “stupid”, the fullback was charged with grade-two dangerous contact for his forearm to Shaun Johnson’s face.
Sam Burgess quits Rabbitohs amid claims of coach’s favouritism for Latrell Mitchell
Read more
The superstar’s horror judiciary record means that even with an early guilty plea he will miss three matches, while he risks a fourth if he challenges the charge at the judiciary and loses.
Mitchell did avoid a charge after being placed on report for a dangerous throw on Warriors forward Tohu Harris during the 34-4 loss on Saturday.
But any ban for the forearm to Johnson’s head has the potential to leave the Rabbitohs backline in tatters, with the club having won only one of their opening five games.
The Rabbitohs have been soundly beaten by Manly, Brisbane, the Sydney Roosters and now the Warriors. Their only victory came against Canterbury on Good Friday, with the club’s 1-4 start their worst since 2008.
Rabbitohs playmaker Cody Walker after the club’s 34-4 round five loss to New Zealand Warriors. Photograph: James Gourley/AAP
Souths are already without veteran winger Alex Johnston (hamstring) for another month, while centre Campbell Graham (sternum) is sidelined for the majority of the year.
Axed halfback Lachlan Ilias broke his leg in NSW Cup yesterday, while his replacement Dean Hawkins is yet to make his mark in first grade.
Mitchell’s pending ban likely means the club will call upon 20-year-old Jye Gray to debut in his spot against Cronulla on Saturday night.
Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou (here with CEO Blake Solly) is under increasing pressure after the club’s 2023 capitulation and poor start to 2024. Photograph: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
Demetriou criticised Mitchell’s behaviour after Saturday’s match incidents, but refused to publicly condemn the fullback’s track record of finding trouble.
Sign up to Australia Sport
Free newsletter
Get a daily roundup of the latest sports news, features and comment from our Australian sports desk
Enter your email address
Sign up
Privacy Notice: Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our Privacy Policy. We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
“They’re both stupid things. You’ve got to be better, simple as that,” Demetriou said. “I’ll have those conversations (with him) during the week (about his behaviour). It’s not something for me to talk about right now.”
Mitchell has endured a dramatic start to the season. He attracted attention in round two when he swore five times in the space of a minute during a post-match radio interview after Souths’ loss to Brisbane.
The 26-year-old was sin-binned for a professional foul on Roosters captain James Tedesco the following week, and then fined for a collision with Bulldogs winger Josh Addo-Carr last week.
His issues have come at the same time pressure has intensified on the Rabbitohs and Demetriou. First on the ladder last May, Souths suffered the biggest capitulation in NRL history as they lost nine of their last 13 matches to miss the 2023 finals.
The freefall came as assistant coach and club legend Sam Burgess walked out on the team, concerned about what he believed was preferential treatment of Mitchell and Cody Walker. Burgess has since relocated to English Super League and has Warrington Wolves on top of the ladder and primed to end a 70-year premiership drought.