Rabbitohs phenomenon Latrell Mitchell has revealed how close he was to withdrawing from Mal Meninga’s Kangaroos side following his “rollercoaster” NRL season.
Mitchell told 9News he was eagre to get out of Sydney and back to his farm to spend time with his family after the Rabbitohs lost to the Panthers in the preliminary final.
However a simple phone call from the Kangaroos coach persuaded him to board the plane to England in search of World Cup glory.
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“I was just thinking about the kids and just going back to my farm, to be honest,” Mitchell told 9News.
“It was a long year, I’ve had a pretty up-and-down, rollercoaster of a season.
“I was sort of contemplating.
“But big Mal (Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga) gave me a call, and I just knew that it was something I wanted to be a part of.
“It was definitely hard getting on the plane and cruising, because I like staying on the land.”
Mitchell has played four tests for the Kangaroos, however this year will be his first World Cup.
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The Souths superstar said that playing for Australia in a World Cup is something he’s wanted to be apart of since the early stages of his career.
“I sort of pinch myself a little bit because I was an 18-year-old kid, 19-year-old kid asking the older fellas playing,” Mitchell said.
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The lead up for this years World Cup has been a selection headache for the Kangaroos with a number of eligible players opting to represent other countries.
Players such as Joseph Sua’ali’i, Josh Papali’i, Brian To’o and Jarome Luai have all elected to represent Samoa.
The Kangaroos will kick off their World Cup campaign against Fiji at Headingley Stadium, Leeds.
