Is Latrell Mitchell overrated?

[Black Panther]

We will never know and no Penrith fan is going to entertain the possibility, I get that

At the end of the day Penrith had injuries in that finals series and won the GF by 2 points, I don't think it is an extreme opinion to suggest latrell makes 2+ points difference and/or could have come up with something to break the game open.

Speaking of Cleary, if Latrell played and Cleary didn't and souths won by 2 points, you would probably wonder what if wouldn't you? as I'm sure you would feel certain Cleary makes up the 2 points.

On the flip side, had Latrell played Cleary may well of targeted him and we win by more. Shit argument Souths fans have been living for a couple of years. He didn’t play the GF, Penrith won.

 

[yobbo84]

Not a big game Fullback.

To be fair to Latrell, the only half who has been able to keep him quiet in a big game has been the bloke who has the best kicking game since Andrew Johns.

If it wasn't for Penrith he'd arguably be a 4-time premiership winner by now, two of those at fullback.

Pains me to say it but sometimes you can be a great team stuck in the same generation as an even better one.

 

[Stinkfinger]

At the end of the day Penrith had injuries in that finals series and won the GF by 2 points, I don't think it is an extreme opinion to suggest latrell makes 2+ points difference and/or could have come up with something to break the game open.

You know what they say. If your grandmother had wheels she'd be a bicycle.

 

[Babyface O'reilly]

Latrell is 1/8 as a Souths player against Penrith.

Going past twelve points twice.

Cleary has his number.

So I'd love to hear that argument about 2021.

To me, you guys creamed it last year and brought that in-season form into the finals. Same can’t be said for 20/21, can it? Despite being easily the best team throughout those seasons, you weren’t at your best in those finals. It’s like you guys didn’t know that the finals is a whole other comp. You were below your best in both those GFs. Storm pulled your pants down in 20 and Souths gave you a proper fight in 21 with only an intercept being the difference. It’s a fair argument to say Souths could’ve won had Latrell played. That’s where people are coming from. We’ll never know and there’s no shame in it. It pleases me as a roosters fan that it could be a possibility. I’m particularly loving that their premiership window coincides with a Penrith team that’s comparable to the dominant Broncos of the early 90s.

 

[Blues Riff]

If Critta had dropped his phone on his way into the stadium, he might have fumbled that intercept.

 

[Munky]

To me, you guys creamed it last year and brought that in-season form into the finals. Same can’t be said for 20/21, can it? Despite being easily the best team throughout those seasons, you weren’t at your best in those finals. It’s like you guys didn’t know that the finals is a whole other comp. You were below your best in both those GFs. Storm pulled your pants down in 20 and Souths gave you a proper fight in 21 with only an intercept being the difference. It’s a fair argument to say Souths could’ve won had Latrell played. That’s where people are coming from. We’ll never know and there’s no shame in it. It pleases me as a roosters fan that it could be a possibility. I’m particularly loving that their premiership window coincides with a Penrith team that’s comparable to the dominant Broncos of the early 90s.

The Storm in 2020 and 2021 were as good or better than the Penrith teams of those seasons.

Souths were not.

Melbourne were cruising to the 2021 premiership until Welch went down early in the PF and the undersized bench was exposed. Penrith were busted after 2021 Origin and could barely attack. If Latrell hypothetically plays in the 2021 finals series can we play Cleary without a destroyed shoulder or Edwards with a non fractured foot?

Souths were never as good as peak Penrith or Melbourne. They put up a good fight in the GF against a busted Panthers and should be commended for it.

 

[Babyface O'reilly]

The Storm in 2020 and 2021 were as good or better than the Penrith teams of those seasons.

Souths were not.

Melbourne were cruising to the 2021 premiership until Welch went down early in the PF and the undersized bench was exposed. Penrith were busted after 2021 Origin and could barely attack. If Latrell hypothetically plays in the 2021 finals series can we play Cleary without a destroyed shoulder or Edwards with a non fractured foot?

Souths were never as good as peak Penrith or Melbourne. They put up a good fight in the GF against a busted Panthers and should be commended for it.

No one’s saying Souths were as good as Penrith tbf, just that there could’ve been a different result if Trell had’ve played. Think that only gets brought up because his absence was self inflicted and not through poor luck like an injury. I agree with all your points btw and forgot about their injuries leading up to those games.

 

[yobbo84]

The Storm in 2020 and 2021 were as good or better than the Penrith teams of those seasons.

Souths were not.

Melbourne were cruising to the 2021 premiership until Welch went down early in the PF and the undersized bench was exposed. Penrith were busted after 2021 Origin and could barely attack. If Latrell hypothetically plays in the 2021 finals series can we play Cleary without a destroyed shoulder or Edwards with a non fractured foot?

Souths were never as good as peak Penrith or Melbourne. They put up a good fight in the GF against a busted Panthers and should be commended for it.

Never will there ever be another season where a team finishes with a 20 and 4 record and finishes third. Madness, that season was.

 

[Munky]

Never will there ever be another season where a team finishes with a 20 and 4 record and finishes third. Madness, that season was.

It's nuts.

20 and 0 against the rest of the comp. If Souths played the Storm and Penrith over the Origin period their 2021 record would have been insane

PENRITH are equal first at the moment with five losses.

Insanity really.

 

[ColdWetPanther]

To be fair to Latrell, the only half who has been able to keep him quiet in a big game has been the bloke who has the best kicking game since Andrew Johns.

If it wasn't for Penrith he'd arguably be a 4-time premiership winner by now, two of those at fullback.

Pains me to say it but sometimes you can be a great team stuck in the same generation as an even better one.

i agree with what you are saying Yobbo.

can’t help but think though if he was English he would be a four time moral winner of the Premiership…

 

[mxlegend99]

He's not really a proven big game fullback yet. All the examples of him being a big game player are in the centres.

He took a huge step in the right direction though upping his workrate in his first game back from injury. If he can get though 15 to 20 carries a game and help his team start sets off well ontop of finishing sets well he's fixing his biggest flaw as a fullback

Personally I feel more confident about my teams chance when he's at fullback for the opposition though. If he was at centre I think he'd be harder to keep out of the game tbh. Can't really over involve him, move him around and try to tire him out

 

[CQLeaguey]

At his best he’s not overrated. Overall? I’d say he is. But he is rated very highly so you know. Tops player really.

 

[Port Stephens Magpie]

I think he's overrated as a fullback. At centre he's brilliant

 

[ColdWetPanther]

It an interesting conundrum where the game has got to with respect of the salary cap. Similar to many above I think Latrell is a better centre than fullback. All of his victories (and he been an important part of many big victories for his sides) have come at fullback. And even his big plays with the 1 in his back are plays you would associate with a centre, as he is most effective receiving the ball a few passes off the ruck.

But I suspect his wanting to play fullback is due to wanting to maximise his pay packet (which I have no problem with, I do that also on my life).

But should the standard logic of fullbacks get paid more than centres be re-examined. Would the Bunnies be better served by having a Taafe playing fullback and Latrell in the centres?

 

[Babyface O'reilly]

It an interesting conundrum where the game has got to with respect of the salary cap. Similar to many above I think Latrell is a better centre than fullback. All of his victories (and he been an important part of many big victories for his sides) have come at fullback. And even his big plays with the 1 in his back are plays you would associate with a centre, as he is most effective receiving the ball a few passes off the ruck.

But I suspect his wanting to play fullback is due to wanting to maximise his pay packet (which I have no problem with, I do that also on my life).

But should the standard logic of fullbacks get paid more than centres be re-examined. Would the Bunnies be better served by having a Taafe playing fullback and Latrell in the centres?

Except he ditched the 800k offer to play centre at Easts for the same money to play FB at Souths, didn’t he?

 

[sportsnut]

Media talk him up because he's that good. High expectations now. Always expected to perform. Comes with the territory.

 

[Captain Apollo]

Trent Robinson is thanking his lucky stars everyday that he revoked the offer to re-sign him.

Yeah right. No revocation happened at all. Latrell and his advisers decided to go to Souths because "he wanted to play fullback". So I suggest you stop with your revisionary history b/s.

 

[Vic Mackey]

It's nuts.

20 and 0 against the rest of the comp. If Souths played the Storm and Penrith over the Origin period their 2021 record would have been insane

PENRITH are equal first at the moment with five losses.

Insanity really.

The 2021 season stands out as the worst season I’ve ever watched in 30 odd years. The set restarts, COVID restrictions etc made it absolutely horrible.

As for the Latrell question, I think it comes back to where he is rated as opinions on him vary drastically. It does seem like other top teams such as Penrith and Storm can take him out of the game pretty easily however you can’t deny that he can destroy 90% of sides on his day.

A good example I’d use is if he was the Tigers fullback the last 2 years does anybody think they get the wooden spoon? No way in hell. I’m fact I’d say we jump 4 to 5 places. Yet could you say the same about someone like Dylan Edwards? Nope, I couldn’t.

 

[Black Panther]

The 2021 season stands out as the worst season I’ve ever watched in 30 odd years. The set restarts, COVID restrictions etc made it absolutely horrible.

As for the Latrell question, I think it comes back to where he is rated as opinions on him vary drastically. It does seem like other top teams such as Penrith and Storm can take him out of the game pretty easily however you can’t deny that he can destroy 90% of sides on his day.

A good example I’d use is if he was the Tigers fullback the last 2 years does anybody think they get the wooden spoon? No way in hell. I’m fact I’d say we jump 4 to 5 places. Yet could you say the same about someone like Dylan Edwards? Nope, I couldn’t.

The difference being Dylan Edwards is far more consistent than Latrell. As for jumping 4-5 places on the ladder if the Tigers had him? Fullbacks run all game, Latrell can’t. That’s why he is a good Centre.

 

[Vic Mackey]

The difference being Dylan Edwards is far more consistent than Latrell. As for jumping 4-5 places on the ladder if the Tigers had him? Fullbacks run all game, Latrell can’t. That’s why he is a good Centre.

Edwards suits Penrith perfectly, its unlikley the role he plays is as effective in other teams though.

Latrell easily does that for a shit team like Wests, not bring them up to beat top 6 sides, but definetaly enough to beat other bottom 5 or 6 teams.