- Latrell Mitchell has revealed everything in a revealing interview
- The NRL superstar has received his fair share of criticism.
- Mitchell said he came close to retiring from football.
Latrell Mitchell has opened up about his true personality and the football superstar revealed why he remains so cautious.
Mitchell, 27, is undoubtedly the most talked about player in the NRL, and his return to State of Origin on Wednesday was widely discussed given his difficult 2024 campaign with the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
But the Bunnies star responded to those criticisms emphatically, helping the Blues demolish Queensland at the MCG to take the series to a decider in Brisbane.
Mitchell’s public perception has also been a topic of conversation. He was widely criticised for wading into the racist storm at the start of the NRL season involving Spencer Leniu and Ezra Mam.
But the 27-year-old is a conscientious and caring figure, as evidenced by his rush to attend a youth football clinic in Taree, in outback New South Wales, in the early hours of Thursday morning, shortly after the final whistle had blown in Melbourne.
In an interview with Channel 9, Mitchell spoke about the effect that the drama and constant criticism have had on him.
“I feel like a lot of people hate me and don’t know me,” she said on the Sunday Footy Show.
‘A lot of people hate me for making myself the villain all the time, so I tend to close the doors on who I am as a person.
Latrell Mitchell opens up in revealing interview with the Sunday Footy Show
The NRL superstar has faced his fair share of criticism from fans and pundits.
‘That’s how I am right now because that’s how I’ve been screwed. In my past times, but I have learned a lot from those situations when I was young. And let them take advantage of it.
‘The way I act on the pitch reflects a bit of the frustration I feel off it. Acting like that is not the way to play football. It’s not the sport I like.
“These brief outbursts of anger are not like me. They are the ones that accumulate over time, over the course of a week, a month or a year, when people constantly attack me.”
Addressing criticism from media pundits, Mitchell issued a six-word message.
“If the media would shut up and let me play,” he said. “Honestly, if you shut up and let me play, there wouldn’t be anything controversial.”
Mitchell confirmed reports he was considering early retirement, admitting he was tempted to return home to Taree.
Mitchell sent a six-word message to his detractors by confirming that he considered retiring
“I didn’t want to spend another year with a heartache,” she said.
‘But you cut back the layers and you can see the people who have made sacrifices for you and you want to make them proud.
“All I’ve ever done is defend my people, defend my culture and defend my family,” he said.
“Honestly, I think in retrospect: if I had kept my mouth shut and carried on with my job like everyone says I should do now, I would be the best player in the world.”
