Wayne Bennett slams NRL over Latrell Mitchell ad controversy
Ahead of South Sydney’s season opener, Wayne Bennett has used his pre-match media conference to let rip at the NRL — and critics of his superstar recruit. READ THE EXPLOSIVE COMMENTS.
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Wayne Bennett has absolutely tore strips off the NRL over their decision to make Latrell Mitchell wear an Aboriginal flag on his back in the bungled Simply the Best advertising campaign.
Bennett used his pre-match media conference ahead of South Sydney’s opening round clash against Cronulla on Saturday to let rip at the governing body for not taking ownership of the controversy.
“I heard the NRL say the other day they will stand behind him,” Bennett fired.
“They need to stand in front of him.
“He was doing their job. Okay. It wasn’t his idea. It wasn’t his ad.
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“The NRL need to get in front and say ‘we take responsibility for what happened here. It had nothing to do with Latrell’.”
Bennett also had a crack at critics questioning his decision to play Mitchell at fullback this year.
Bennett was adamant Mitchell “will be the fullback of this club for a long time”.
But Bennett was clearly still seething at the way the NRL handled the fallout from the controversial ad campaign, revealing Mitchell was never told that his role would include wearing an Aboriginal flag.
“I will tell you about the ad. The ad is the responsibility of the NRL, it had nothing to do with Latrell,” Bennett said.
“He was told to be at a place at 5am in the morning, thought he was going to be passing the ball to somebody.
“Somebody comes up to him and puts a flag on his back and says ‘this is what we’re going to do with you’.”
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Asked if controversy worried Latrell, Bennett added: “He is not worried about it personally but I asked some questions when I saw what was coming his way.”
Bennett said “there was a change in game plan” from what Latrell was originally told his role would involve.
“It didn’t happen what he was told was going to happen and they gave him the flag and said put this on,” he explained.
“I saw a statement from the NRL saying they would stand behind him. I want them to stand in front of him,” he said.
“That is the point I am making here because it was their decision.
“It was their promo. And it was none of his idea.
“Being a young man he was compliant, he didn’t carry on. He just did what he was asked to do.
“They game needs to take ownership of what they did rather than sitting behind saying ‘we are going to stand behind Latrell. Please.”
Bennett then turned his attention to critics of his decision to play Mitchell at fullback this year.
Obviously forgetting rugby league Immortal Andrew Johns was among those critics, Bennett said: “You’ve got to remember with critics, they don’t build monuments to them, so why would you worry about critics.
“If you are going to be in my business and worry about critics you are not going to last very long.
“I have been through a lot of situations with a lot of players and in the end we always get there because we make good decisions, we have good people around us that is the key to it all.
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“If we have made a wrong decision, well, we will change it and we will correct that.
“It is not to say we get them all right either.
“But he will be the fullback of this club for a long time in my opinion.
“He has such a high skill level.
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“Athletic ability is one thing, but skill is another.
“And he is a rugby league player. That is what he is.
“I would say as a kid growing up he spent a lot of time in the backyard playing with brothers, cousins whatever, and just playing backyard footy because he portrays all those things that you only learn in the backyard.
“Coaches don’t teach you the stuff he has got.”
Originally published as Wayne Bennett slams NRL over Latrell Mitchell ad controversy