Latrell Mitchell says it’s up to the NRL to decide how they’ll deal with the teenager who allegedly racially abused the South Sydney superstar last month as he was walking up the tunnel at BlueBet Stadium.
The incident received widespread condemnation, with Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou leading the calls for the spectator to receive a lifetime ban from attending games.
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It was reported on Monday that the NRL wanted Mitchell to meet up with the teenager so he could educate him on the consequences of racism, but the Rabbitohs are vehemently against the idea, with Mitchell keen to focus on his footy.
“I think that’s a matter in the NRL’s hands now,” he said on Monday.
“I just want to focus on footy. It’s not my problem. There are people involved and I’ve just got to focus on my role here and not focus my energy on that.
“It does (hurt), but it is what it is. We’re passed that and the process will be taken upon.”
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Last month’s controversy is the latest thing Mitchell has had to deal with in a seven-year career that will hit 150 games when the Rabbitohs play Canterbury in the annual Good Friday clash.
He’s come a long way since he burst onto the scene as a Taree teenager playing for the Roosters, with Mitchell arguably the biggest star of the game right now and the most powerful role model in rugby league.
“I’ve had to grow a lot in such a short period of time. I thank you fellas (the media) for that. I’m very proud and I can’t wait (for the milestone),” he said.
“I think my actions speak a lot for those things. I try to present myself as best I can for the kids and try to be a great role model. It’s something that happens naturally and I don’t try to force it on anyone. I just try to be the country kid I once was.
“Everyone thinks I’m 35 and at the end of my career, but I’m only 25. I’m still learning. That’s the beauty of our game that we get to enjoy it each week and take our learnings. I don’t take them as losses, I take them as learnings.”
Those learnings include a message from Demetriou after last week’s loss to the Storm where he encouraged Mitchell to get more involved from the outset after he and his teammates missed the start and fell short in their comeback.
It’s something Mitchell acknowledges that he has to address, with the representative star more than happy to take advice from his coach.
“It’s definitely something to work on, and everyone has got something to work on. Instead of chasing our tails in the back-end, we should be starting the game earlier,” he said.
“For me personally, I know I need to get my hands on the ball a bit earlier in the game and flip the mentality.
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“He (Demetriou) always has the right thing to say and I know to take it on the chin. It’s definitely a special relationship that we get to have as coach and player and he knows what he’s doing.”
Fans were baying for Mitchell to get more involved on Friday, but those same people will cheer loudest if he leads them to victory against the Bulldogs.
That constant attention is something he’s become used to, but he says the support he gets from everyone at Souths helps him get through it.
“It’s lonely at the top, but we’ve got to do what we’ve got to do,” he said.
“I’ve got a great support network here and the boys are like brothers to me. This is why I’m at the Rabbitohs.”
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