South Sydney is seeking legal advice on exactly when Latrell Mitchell should serve his sentence and whether the NRL can subject him to an independent fitness test, as the impasse between the club and the league continues ahead of the final game of the season. Rabbitohs.
On Thursday morning, Souths boss Ben Hornby said he had “no idea” about the settlement as the club fights for Mitchell to serve his punishment for bringing the game into disrepute this season.
Mitchell has been fined a total of $120,000 by the Rabbitohs and the NRL after the star fullback was photographed using a white substance. He also received a one-match ban, which the club had hoped he could serve immediately, but the situation was complicated by a foot injury, which kept Mitchell out for the past two months and prompted Hornby to declare several weeks before Mitchell was done. for the season.
But the club’s attitude has since changed, with Mitchell returning to light coaching duties in recent weeks. The defender was on a training bike on Tuesday but did not take part in his captain’s race on Thursday. Captain Cameron Murray trained despite his suspension, while injured stars Campbell Graham, Alex Johnston and Jai Arrow were also in the clubhouse, with Mitchell making an appearance at the end of the session. The NRL has made it clear it wants Mitchell to serve his first-round suspension next season, which is why the Bunnies asked him if he could play against the Roosters on Friday, despite not being named in the original team of 22 players.
Souths are confident he is fit and have been cleared by three doctors to prove he is fit to play this week.
“We are seeking legal advice on the NRL’s request for more information and the proposed fitness test,” read a statement from CEO Blake Solly. Hornby has been asked about his main man almost every week since replacing Jason Demetriou, which is why he was not surprised to receive more on Thursday morning.
“I can because like most of my questions this year, they were about Latrell,” he said.
“Every week I suspect there will be some questions about him and nothing has changed. “He will be (cleared to play), but as I said a few weeks ago, the process was still risky. It’s in the hands of the NRL and the club now, so there’s not much more (I might add). Hornby could not provide much information when asked about the details of what was happening.
“I have no idea,” he replied when asked if Mitchell was willing to take a fitness test with an independent physio.
“I didn’t talk to Latrell this morning. We had a big breakfast with some stops and stuff, so we didn’t talk.”
It was also asked whether Mitchell should be allowed to face the Roosters if his ban is extended to 2025. “I have no idea because I don’t want to say ‘yes’ and it doesn’t really matter and if I say ‘no’ it doesn’t really matter,” he said.
“Now it’s out of our hands. It’s in the hands of the NRL and the club and they’ll sort it out.”
There is also a sense that Mitchell may not be fit to play, as we haven’t seen him on training camp for two months.
“The NRL told us he wasn’t going to play this game, so we took that approach,” his coach explained.