South Sydney superstar Latrell Mitchell is considering making himself unavailable for the start of this year’s State of Origin series to focus on helping the Rabbitohs off the bottom of the NRL ladder.
In a sign of Mitchell’s frame of mind, following on from conversations he held with club officials about prioritising South Sydney, the 26-year-old is weighing up his immediate representative future.
Latrell Mitchell is considering his immediate future for NSW.Credit: Getty
Sources close to the situation but not authorised to speak publicly confirmed Mitchell has told those close to him he is considering the move. Mitchell feels a debt to the club after he was suspended for three matches following a brain snap against the Warriors which saw him collect veteran halfback Shaun Johnson in the face with a stray forearm.
The former Test star still has one week to serve on his ban and won’t play against reigning champions Penrith at Accor Stadium on Thursday night. He will return the following week against the St George Illawarra Dragons at Kogarah.
The Rabbitohs sit at the bottom of the ladder with one win after eight rounds and have the worst defensive record in the competition. Mitchell will return to the NRL from suspension 16 days before NSW Blues coach Michael Maguire selects his team for the first game of the 2024 series.
As is the case each year, selection speculation is intense and Mitchell is reluctant to put himself and his club in the spotlight at a time when they need to turn around a disastrous start to the year.
Mitchell was suspended for three matches after elbowing Shaun Johnson earlier this month.Credit: Getty
Mitchell, who will play three games before the NSW team is named for game one at Accor Stadium on June 5, would battle for a centre spot alongside Stephen Crichton, Bradman Best, Tom Trbojevic, Izack Tago and Kotoni Staggs if in the selection mix.
In the aftermath of Mitchell’s suspension for the incident against the Warriors, he made a pledge to chief executive Blake Solly and Demetriou to repay the club.
It wouldn’t be the first time Mitchell has withdrawn from Origin. In 2022, he made himself unavailable for game three of the series after returning from a 12-week lay-off from a hamstring injury.
The Rabbitohs went on to reach the preliminary final with eventual premiers Penrith ending their season.
The Blues might not be able to roll out their attacking threat of Tom Trbojevic, James Tedesco and Latrell Mitchell.Credit: Grant Trouville
“I think I’m going to shut those headlines down now, I’m going to pull myself out and worry about Souths and focus on myself,” Mitchell said at the time.
“They’ve got a real good team there, NSW, and good luck to them and Burton in the centres. Give Crichton a go too … I really want to focus on South Sydney and getting myself right for the backend of the season.”
South Sydney are aware that Mitchell is giving thought to making himself unavailable but won’t interfere in his decision. Mitchell has played just three times for NSW due to form and injury since he was dropped for the second game of the 2019 series.
He is now pondering the same move Kalyn Ponga made last year. The Newcastle fulback made himself unavailable for Queensland selection to focus on the Knights after missing a host of games through concussion.
Kalyn Ponga will miss this year’s series with a foot injury.Credit: Getty Images
The Knights had won just two of their first nine games last year. Ponga’s availability during the Origin period for Newcastle saw the club’s fortunes turn, yielding a 10-game winning streak that saw the Knights reach week two of the finals.
At a recent State of Origin promotional event, Maguire was asked about Mitchell’s potential selection.
“Everyone knows the capabilities of Latrell, but it’s about making sure he is in the right headspace,” Maguire said.
“At the moment, one thing I know is that in big games, you need your focus right about where you are going.
“Souths are going through a tough period, but Latrell has a chance to bunker down and really help the NSW team. He has another couple of months where he can put himself into that shape, but Origin games are up there with the biggest games of your life.”
Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou is fighting to save his own job, and the issue of Mitchell’s Origin availability may not be of any concern to him if the team doesn’t show drastic signs of improvement.
Club directors will hold their monthly board meeting on Tuesday, where Demetriou’s future will be a topic of conversation.
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