Latrell Mitchell Avoids Sanction for Unnecessary Act
Latrell Mitchell has once again managed to escape any punishment for an alarming incident during South Sydney’s 30-12 victory over the Dragons on Saturday night. However, the National Rugby League (NRL) may still take further action against the star player.
Mitchell was in exceptional form throughout the match, scoring four tries and contributing significantly to Souths’ win. This result marked the Dragons’ 11th consecutive loss and their seventh of the season. Despite his outstanding performance, Mitchell was involved in an incident that had the potential to cause serious injury to an opponent.
The incident occurred early in the first half when Souths were leading 4-0. Mitchell was called off-side following a grubber kick by Cody Walker towards the in-goal area.
Well after the whistle had been blown, Mitchell grabbed Dragons halfback Daniel Atkinson and pushed him back towards the in-goal, causing him to crash into the post. The Dragons players were visibly upset and confronted Mitchell, who appeared to show regret for his actions.
Steve Roach, a commentator for Fox League, noted, “The game was already stopped,” and added, “I think he regretted it after he did it. A little bit of a brain explosion.” Another commentator described the act as “unnecessary,” while fans expressed stronger opinions about the incident.
Since the Dragons had already received the penalty, Mitchell was not punished for the act. However, the match review committee did not find the incident worthy of a fine, allowing Mitchell to avoid what could have been his third charge of the season.
With the State of Origin series just five weeks away, Laurie Daley and the New South Wales Blues cannot afford to lose Mitchell to suspension. He has been one of the most consistent centres this season and is expected to be selected for Origin 1 if available. However, with two charges already this season, Mitchell is walking a tightrope in terms of potential suspensions.
He also avoided a sanction for diving into the legs of Bulldogs fullback Connor Tracey beyond the dead-ball line in Round 6. This incident left many fans angry and raised concerns about the potential for serious injury.
At the very least, Mitchell might receive a ‘concerning act’ notice from NRL headquarters. These notices are often issued for incidents that do not result in punishment but still warrant attention. After the Tracey and Atkinson incidents, it may be time for the NRL to take more decisive action.
Other Players Face Consequences
Meanwhile, Dragons forward Jaydn Su’A has been handed a three-game ban after being sent-off for a shoulder charge that hit Cameron Murray in the head. Peter Mamouzelos and Emre Guler each received two separate fines, while Wayde Egan, Patrick Herbert, and Brendan Piakura were also fined for incidents in other games on Saturday.
Wayne Bennett Praises Mitchell
Souths coach Wayne Bennett praised Mitchell for his performance in the match, which came after Matt Dufty was chosen to replace injured fullback Jye Gray instead of Mitchell. “I’m just really proud of him, Latrell,” said Bennett.
“He likes to play fullback, but we made a decision earlier in the season about his position in the centres. We had to make one change to that backline today, which was outstanding.”
