Latrell Mitchell faces minimum three game suspension after being charged with dangerous contact in Souths loss
- Latrell Mitchell faces a height ban after being charged
- Star fullback will miss at least three games
- Mitchell was hit with a grade two dangerous contact charge
South Sydney’s nightmare NRL season has taken another blow, with Latrell Mitchell facing a ban of up to four games following their loss to the Warriors.
A day after coach Jason Demetriou branded Mitchell’s behavior in two match incidents as ‘stupid’, the full-back was charged with grade two dangerous contact with his forearm against Shaun Johnson’s face.
The superstar’s reputation with the judiciary means that even with an early guilty plea he will miss three games, while risking a fourth if he fights the charge with the judiciary and loses.
Mitchell did avoid a charge after being reported for a dangerous throw to Warriors forward Tohu Harris during Saturday’s 34-4 loss.
Latrell Mitchell faces a suspension of up to four games for the loss to the Warriors
But any ban on the forearm to Johnson’s head has the potential to leave the Rabbitohs’ backline in tatters, with the club having won just one of their first five games.
Souths have been without veteran winger Alex Johnston (hamstring) for a month, while center Campbell Graham (sternum) has been sidelined for most of the year.
Axed halfback Lachlan Ilias broke his leg in the NSW Cup yesterday, while his replacement Dean Hawkins is yet to make his mark in the first division.
Mitchell’s impending suspension is likely to mean the club will call on 20-year-old Jye Gray to make his debut against Cronulla on Saturday evening.
Demetriou criticized Mitchell’s behavior after Saturday’s match incidents but refused to publicly condemn the full-back’s record of finding trouble.
‘They’re both stupid things. You have to be better, it’s that simple,” Demetriou said.
‘I have those conversations (with him) during the week (about his behavior). It’s not something for me to talk about now.’
Mitchell has had a dramatic start to the season.
The superstar’s poor reputation in the judiciary means he will miss three games even with an early guilty plea
He attracted attention in the second round when he swore five times in a minute during a post-match radio interview following Souths’ loss to Brisbane.
The 26-year-old was convicted the following week for a professional foul on Roosters captain James Tedesco, and was fined last week for a collision with Bulldogs winger Josh Addo-Carr.
His problems have arisen at the same time that pressure has increased on the Rabbitohs and Demetriou.
Souths were top of the ladder last May and suffered the biggest capitulation in NRL history when they lost nine of their last 13 matches and missed the 2023 finals.
The free fall came when assistant coach and club legend Sam Burgess left the team, concerned about what he believed was the preferential treatment of Mitchell and Cody Walker.
The Rabbitohs’ misery has continued this season, having been soundly beaten by Manly, Brisbane, the Sydney Roosters and now the Warriors.
Their only win came against Canterbury on Good Friday, with the club’s 1-4 start being their worst since 2008.
In other court news, Dolphins ace Kurt Donoghoe faces a three-match ban for a high tackle on Samuela Fainu, which could be reduced to two games with a guilty plea.
The Dolphins are nursing a major casualty department after Saturday night’s win over the Tigers, with Thomas Flegler (shoulder), Herbie Farnworth (shoulder) and Felise Kaufusi (hamstring) all injured.