Phil Gould smashes Latrell Mitchell and Souths in astonishing attack as he reveals who’s REALLY to blame for white powder photo
- Rabbitohs star investigated by NRL and his club
- He is expected to receive a suspension and sanctions from Souths
- Gould has beaten both the player and the Bunnies
Phil Gould has made the shocking prediction that Latrell Mitchell will never write a new chapter in his career or cause controversy again, blaming his NRL club South Sydney for the scandal surrounding the star’s white powder photos.
The Rabbitohs fullback is facing sanctions from the NRL as his club consider taking strict action over his contract following his latest alleged off-field incident.
Mitchell was given a warning by the NRL and ordered to attend a meeting with the Rabbitohs board after a photo was leaked of him in a hotel room with a mysterious white powder.
The photo was taken in Dubbo, where Mitchell conducted coaching clinics and community work.
Ny Breaking Australia does not claim the powder was an illegal drug.
South Sydney’s powers-that-be have reportedly grown frustrated as their investment in Mitchell has not paid off as he has been suspended or injured for large parts of the 2024 season.
He also attracted attention for the wrong reasons, by making demands on the Spencer Leniu and Ezra Mam racist scandal before it had reached the courts, and by giving a foul-mouthed interview on Triple M radio.
Latrell Mitchell (pictured at Souths’ defeat to the Storm on August 8) could face tough changes to his contract from frustrated Bunnies bosses
The fullback is being punished by the NRL over this photo which shows him with a mysterious white powder in a Dubbo hotel room
Phil Gould has blamed South Sydney for Mitchell’s list of off-field incidents spiralling out of control and says it is too late for the player to change
While the Souths are likely to take tough action to get the best out of their star player, Bulldogs boss and NRL queen Gould believes it is too late to change.
“Is it too late for him to be a professional athlete who does everything right? 100 per cent sure,” he said on Nine’s 100% Footy.
And Gould blames South Sydney for enabling Mitchell to play and putting him in situations that put himself and the club in a bad light.
“Is South Sydney going to take responsibility for this? Why is Latrell behaving the way he is behaving? Why is Latrell getting involved in things he shouldn’t be involved in?” Gould asked.
“He’s so outspoken. Why isn’t Latrell at South Sydney games? Because Souths don’t make him. No one at Souths holds Latrell accountable.
‘Now they’re going to fine that guy and put certain clauses in his contract. I think that’s really great from that club from South Sydney.’
Latrell acts the way Latrell acts because he’s allowed to act that way.
‘The club never brought him up. Did anyone at the club ever bring him up, put him down and say he can’t do these things, he can’t do certain things, he can’t do the right things himself, he can’t do the right things on behalf of the club?’
Mitchell has missed large parts of the 2024 season due to injuries and suspensions
Wayne Bennett is returning to South Sydney in 2025 and has already said he will work with Mitchell (pictured together in 2020) to get him back on track
Head coach Wayne Bennett will return to Redfern next season and has already committed to taking Mitchell under his wing.
“I’m looking forward to it. I’ll be there for him and I hope I can get them the help he needs,” Bennett said.
But Gould said even Bennett would not be the magic bullet Souths need to keep their wayward star in check.
“Wayne Bennett is definitely going to South Sydney to win so he needs Latrell,” he said.
‘He makes up all kinds of excuses for Latrell and then all of a sudden he sprinkles magic dust on it so that Latrell behaves and everyone can live happily ever after, but that’s an excuse.
‘This has been going on for a long time, throughout Latrell’s career, and there are a lot of people responsible for it.
“Most of it is Latrell… he’s the one who has to answer for it. So now the excuse is if Wayne comes, I’ll answer for it. That’s not happening, it’s going to happen again.”