South Sydney\u2019s fall from first place in May to ninth made for unwanted history as the greatest capitulation of the NRL era, and prompted scathing criticism of Mitchell from Rod Churchill, son of club great Clive, as well as intense focus on how he and star teammate Cody Walker are handled compared to their teammates.<\/p>\n
Burgess raised several issues around standards with club management before ending his tenure and taking up a head coaching role at Warrington.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt rattled me, I tell you what,\u201d Mitchell said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut it is what it is. I\u2019m over it now. It starts to drip into your personal life and footy. If you\u2019re not happy off the field, you\u2019re never going to perform on it.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of that trickled into all of our lives and everything that went on just happened. True colours come out when pressure\u2019s applied. They\u2019re not losses, they\u2019re lessons and I\u2019ll take them into 2024.\u201d<\/p>\n
As rugby league\u2019s most recognisable player and South Sydney\u2019s most influential figure, few in the NRL have occupied as intense a spotlight as Mitchell.<\/p>\n
The 26-year-old told Mansour that that pressure weighed on him as the season wore on, and he struggled for form after returning from injury, lamenting that \u201cI wasn\u2019t looked after the way I should have been,\u201d in recovering from a calf injury suffered in NSW Origin camp.<\/p>\n
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The calf injury that ruled Latrell Mitchell out of Origin II ended up sidelining him for more than two months.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Brook Mitchell<\/cite><\/p>\n \u201cWe started really well, unstoppable and [the Rabbitohs] defence was awesome,\u201d Mitchell said.<\/p>\n \u201cI got injured going into NSW camp, and it was just hard for me to come back and try and find that form again.<\/p>\n \u201cTen weeks [out injured] was too long, I wasn\u2019t looked after the way I should\u2019ve been, but it is what it is. I just couldn\u2019t find that tick again.<\/p>\n \u201cI was trying to chase that and [the narrative] that \u2018oh it\u2019s alright, Latrell\u2019s back, we\u2019ll be right, we\u2019ll win again\u2019, the pressure of that got to me a little bit. Other than that I think we just lost that drive and connection as well, confidence too.\u201d<\/p>\n The handling of South Sydney players in Blues camp caused dramas throughout the series, with the club pushing for physio Eddie Farah to join NSW medical staff in camp – an unprecedented move that did not impress then-coach Brad Fittler.<\/p>\n Farah\u2019s 17-year tenure at South Sydney ended as part of the club\u2019s 2023 performance review that triggered an overhaul of Demetriou\u2019s back-room staff.<\/p>\n All the while, Mitchell and Wighton had charges stemming from their February arrest when the latter was kicked out of a Canberra nightclub.<\/p>\n Charges against the pair were dropped after the most senior police officer involved in the arrest admitted to giving false evidence.<\/p>\n Mitchell\u2019s solicitor Tom Taylor has previously indicated his belief the pair have sufficient grounds to take civil action as the Rabbitohs fullback detailed the toll his arrest took on him.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was a long 10 months, it just dragged on. I knew I was innocent the whole time, I was just trying to prove I\u2019m a good person and trying to fake being happy for 10 months was hard. I\u2019m glad it\u2019s over \u2026<\/p>\n \u201c[With] footy it was a big thing. Obviously, trying to perform every day, turn up and perform knowing that\u2019s still hanging over your head \u2026 \u201d<\/p>\n Mitchell returned to Rabbitohs training this week, having recorded the podcast with Mansour a few days earlier. A finger injury ruled Mitchell out of Australia\u2019s Pacific Championship campaign but makes for what Mitchell says is his first uninterrupted pre-season in years.<\/p>\n Latrell Mitchell endured all manner of dramas in 2023.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n He spoke extensively of his love for the club and said he has \u201cnot delivered\u201d a premiership in return, quipping that ideally he\u2019d claim the Clive Churchill medal in the process too – a pointed reference to Rodney Churchill\u2019s explosive critique of Mitchell. <\/p>\n The NRL ended the long-standing tradition of a Churchill family member presenting the grand final\u2019s man-of-the-match award afterwards as Churchill apologised.<\/p>\n Mitchell also touched on his relationship with the Roosters – who he left for Souths in 2019 in a drawn-out contract saga – and the drama that often arises when he takes on his old club.<\/p>\n \u201cI just let them know what they\u2019re missing out on and what they let go in a way,\u201d Mitchell said.<\/p>\n \u201cI just love playing opposition [when] it\u2019s someone that meant a lot to me. The Roosters meant a lot to me at the time and I felt like I gave a lot to that club.<\/p>\n \u201cJust leaving that club on terms I didn\u2019t want to leave on, but at the end of the day, it was for the better, I\u2019m at home now at Souths \u2026 coming to Souths now I\u2019ve been able to be myself, not have to prove to anyone who I am and what I stand for. I get backed from CEO down, from Russell down.<\/p>\n \u201cEverything they\u2019ve sacrificed for me and given to me, and I haven\u2019t delivered since I\u2019ve been there in a sense, [winning] a comp is something that everyone wants. To write my name in the books and maybe [win] a Clive Churchill along with that.\u201d<\/p>\n Sports news, results and expert commentary.<\/i><\/b> Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/i><\/b>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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