Michael Ennis says Latrell Mitchell isn’t fit enough for No.1. Mal Meninga wants him to be left alone:
https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...t/news-story/e16751826bdacbc6c315f82d3d8092ed
He’s got his back - Bennett to stick with Latrell in No.1 jersey for Bunnies’ clash with Roosters:
https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...r/news-story/eccdc6437ed65760fd44291c4f13c653
Also, a couple of articles from Sporting News,
League mastermind Phil Gould and NRL legend Paul Gallen have torn the Rabbitohs to shreds following their lacklustre performance against Brisbane on Friday.
League mastermind Phil Gould and NRL legend Paul Gallen have torn the Rabbitohs to shreds following their lacklustre performance against Brisbane on Friday.
The pair raised major concerns over the side's spine and its inability to capitalise on a number of possessions in the clash, which they lost 22-18 on an empty Suncorp Stadium.
Whilst the scoreboard reflected a tighter affair, the contest was anything but, with Brisbane's forward pack dominating the Rabbitohs' middles throughout the match.
Gould said that whilst South Sydney's forward pack failed to build any momentum, the side's playmakers didn't manage the game, and that was something in need of immediate attention.
"They took some really poor options, their football really deteriorated late in the second half when they had some chances to square that game up," Gould said in
Channel Nine's post-match coverage.
"It didn't look anywhere near as convincing as it should've.
"I thought it was a pretty ordinary performance from South Sydney, it was bordering on soft. I just think the Broncos were too enthusiastic, too powerful, too relentless.
"There were a couple of glitches in the South Sydney attacking game which need to be fixed really quickly.
"There's just not enough flow to their set of six, they kind of work to the middle and put on a play and it gets really clunky for a couple of tackles and they lose their way again."
Gould had previously outlined his concerns over fullback Latrell Mitchell, who he believes is lacking an understanding of the game.
Mitchell's mortgage on the number one jersey could be under threat, with Wayne Bennett shifting his new recruit to centre midway through the second-half.
Mitchell's struggles were then somewhat amplified when his replacement at fullback Alex Johnston had an immediate impact on the game, scoring a try and running for 60 metres from eight runs in 21 minutes on the field.
But whilst acknowledging Mitchell's absent performance, Gallen sided with Gould and questioned the composure of South Sydney's playmakers.
"The spine of South Sydney had a lot more experience than the Brisbane side," the retired Cronulla legend said.
"The Brisbane side had injuries they had to move players around yet we still see Latrell Mitchell moved from fullback to centre.
"I've never been a fan of moving your spine around, they're the generals of your team and the amount of ball South Sydney had in the back end of that second half I would've expected their spine to get them home."
Wayne Bennett whacks critics of South Sydney Rabbitohs star
Latrell Mitchell seemingly cops more grief from the critics than the rest of his NRL peers combined.
But the man that currently holds the key to the
22-year-old’s rugby league future – South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett – is sticking solid with the ex-Sydney Rooster.
NRL pundits, led by
Phil Gould, who declared Mitchell is currently ‘of no value to his team’, lined up to
have a crack at the incumbent Australia centre on Friday night.
“I’m worried about Latrell and his football and unless he is mentored in the right way by the right people through this period it could all come unravelling for him over the next 18 months – judging by what I’m seeing now,” Gould said on
Channel 9’s Friday Night Knockoff.
“He’s not ready to play NRL football the way he is, right at the moment, and certainly not to play that position (full-back).”
After he was
benched by Bennett in Round 1, Mitchell lasted the full 80 minutes in the 22-18 loss to the Brisbane Broncos but finished the contest at left centre after starting at full-back.
Speaking post-match, the veteran coach left the door open to
pick Mitchell at centre for Friday’s blockbuster clash against his former Roosters team-mates.
But after hearing the tidal wave of criticism, Bennett, who has a reputation for sticking by his players, told
Fairfax Media’s Christian Nicolussi Mitchell ‘will be wearing the No.1’ against the Chooks.
And the seven-time premiership-winning coach had a terse message for Gould and Mitchell’s many other detractors.
"In five months' time when he's playing great footy, the critics will be hiding somewhere and make out they never said it,” he told
Fairfax Media.
