How the Broncos missed out on signing New South Wales star Latrell Mitchell

BRISBANE went hell for leather in their attempts to sign New South Wales Origin star Latrell Mitchell when the Roosters flyer was a junior.

NSW Latrell Mitchell during Game 2 of the State of Origin series between the NSW Blues and Queensland Maroons at the ANZ Stadium, Sydney. Picture. Phil Hillyard

THE Broncos held talks with Latrell Mitchell and were so determined to sign the NSW Origin sensation, they enlisted the help of Queensland superstar Greg Inglis.

The Courier-Mail can reveal the machinations of a Broncos pursuit that involved an NRL contract, free schooling and a sales-pitch from Inglis aimed at convincing Mitchell to start a new life in Brisbane.

The Roosters whiz-kid will arrive in Queensland on Wednesday week as part of a NSW Origin team gunning for a 3-0 series sweep of the Maroons in Game Three at Suncorp Stadium.

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But five years ago, the Broncos hatched plans for Suncorp to be Mitchell’s permanent home ground, believing the then 16-year-old could develop into an NRL star at Red Hill.

Brisbane’s recruitment proposal was so detailed it included an Inglis-style blueprint, with the Broncos offering to place Mitchell at Wavell High, the school Inglis attended before moving to the Melbourne Storm.

Mitchell has become one of rugby league’s new stars. Picture. Phil Hillyard

Broncos scouts also had a ready-made family home set-up with Adrian Coolwell, the indigenous employment officer who helped raise Inglis during his 12-month stint in Queensland.

Mitchell’s manager recalled how close the Blues centre, so often compared to Inglis in stature and playing style, came to signing with the Broncos.

“The Broncos put on a great show to get Latrell, it basically came down to them and the Roosters,” said his agent Steve Deacon, a former first-grader with Easts and the Gold Coast.

“The Broncos had a plan for Latrell to attend the same school that Greg (Inglis) went to and live with the same family that Greg stayed with in Brisbane.

Mitchell has scored two tries in two Origin matches. Photo by Matt King/Getty Images.

“We did a full tour of the club. The Broncos flew Latrell and his parents and myself up to attend a game, and after they took us into the dressing rooms so Latrell got to see the inner-workings of the Broncos.

“It was very close — Latrell gave serious thought to signing with the Broncos.”

Brisbane’s recruitment team at the time had close links to Wavell High and they used the famous league nursery as leverage, reaching out to Inglis to personally speak to indigenous ace Mitchell.

“The Broncos pulled out all the big guns to sign him,” Deacon recalls.

“They even got Greg Inglis involved. We were at the Broncos game at Suncorp when they got Greg Inglis on the phone and asked him to chat to Latrell.

The big centre is still only 21.

“GI didn’t try to brainwash Latrell either way. He spoke about how he lived in Brisbane for a short time but ‘GI’ was in Sydney at the time (with Souths), and he also talked about making a move to Sydney.”

Deacon said family ties, not money, ultimately swayed Taree product Mitchell to the Roosters.

“Latrell was really impressed with Brisbane’s professionalism but what finally convinced him was the relatives he had in Sydney,” he said.

“He would have looked great in Broncos colours and had he signed with Brisbane, he would probably still be there, but he went for the Roosters and he can’t be happier there.”

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Originally published as How the Broncos missed out on signing New South Wales star Latrell Mitchell