- Phil Gould questions Latrell Mitchell’s NRL future
- South Sydney fullback set to begin three-week suspension
- Charged after using his forearm on Shaun Johnson
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NRL identity Phil Gould fears Latrell Mitchell could retire from the sport because he doubts the Rabbitohs superstar truly loves the game.
It comes after Mitchell, 26, was suspended for three matches by the NRL match review committee after striking Shaun Johnson’s face with his forearm during South Sydney’s tough loss last Saturday against the Warriors. .
While he is suspended, fed up club officials have reportedly told Mitchell he cannot go to his farm at Taree on the New South Wales north coast, where he often heads to get away from the pressures of the sport.
Mitchell is understood to have been ordered to stay in Sydney while his coach Jason Demetriou faces dismissal after a nightmare start to the NRL season, which saw the club claim just one win in the first five rounds.
With the spotlight constantly on Mitchell, Bulldogs supremo Gould said the Indigenous star could be lost to the sport.
Phil Gould fears Latrell Mitchell could retire from the NRL after questioning whether the Rabbitohs superstar really loves the game.
It comes after Mitchell, 26, was suspended for three games after smashing his forearm into Shaun Johnson’s face during last Saturday’s tough loss to the Warriors.
While suspended, fed-up club officials allegedly told Mitchell he cannot go to his farm at Taree on the New South Wales mid-north coast (pictured).
“Has anyone ever sat Latrell down and said do you really want to play this game?” Gould said on Nine’s. 100% football.
‘Are you really in love with this game? Do you love hard work? Do you love discipline? Do you love your teammates? Do you love the club? …or I’ll just do it because I’m good at it, but I’ll do it my way.
‘Did anyone really sit him down and tell him that if you had the chance to leave, you would?’ I guess he would.
“I think he will, I don’t see him being in love with him at all.”
Gould also questioned Mitchell’s work ethic on the field.
‘We have been saying it for some years with him. He plays at his own pace, he plays at his own style and in his own way. He picks and chooses his times. And he doesn’t put a lot of work into the effort areas of the game,” he said.
‘The game defends him and everyone defends him, but Latrell does not respond.
With the spotlight constantly on Mitchell, Bulldogs supremo Phil Gould questioned the star’s work ethic on the field.
“The problem is that he is an elite talent, an incredible talent, who can change games, he can influence results.
“He has little moments in games where things go his way, but he doesn’t look for work, he doesn’t look for big moments and sometimes it seems like he’s not where he should be at different times… that also lets his team down.
It comes as former NRL star turned commentator Michael Ennis urged Mitchell to stay in Sydney and lead by example in training over the coming weeks, while former NRL hardman Paul Gallen pointed out the clear fullback’s passion for community work.
Mitchell, comfortably the NRL’s most polarizing identity, recently took the time to fly to Moree in northern New South Wales with South Sydney teammate Cody Walker as they helped launch a program in a bid to reduce juvenile crime in the area.
Mitchell also visited Kempsey in the off-season, launching the Fight for Success program in partnership with the local PCYC on the New South Wales Mid North Coast.