Wayne Bennett forced to admit Latrell Mitchell may not be number one
The highest-profile recruit of the entire summer, Mitchell's future at fullback is under fresh scrutiny as Wayne Bennett conceded he may move the 22-year-old to the centres following the Bunnies loss to Brisbane on Friday night.
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Only a month ago, Alex Johnston was being offered to rival clubs.
Now the South Sydney flyer has been identified as the solution to the Rabbitohs primary on-field issue; where to play Latrell Mitchell.
The highest-profile recruit of the entire summer, Mitchell's future in no.1 jumper is under fresh scrutiny after Souths coach Wayne Bennett conceded he may move the 22-year-old to the centres following the Bunnies loss to Brisbane on Friday night.
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Mitchell's 58 minutes at fullback, before being shifted to the centre for the rest of the game to accommodate Johnston, has resulted in a chorus of commentators including Phil Gould and Greg Alexander doubting the former Roosters star's ability to play in the last line of defence for Souths.
“I don’t think Latrell’s ready at the moment to play fullback, I really don’t,” Penrith legend and Blues advisor Greg Alexander said on Fox League.
“The plan’s obviously there to get Latrell fit.
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I think Latrell needs to get fit on the training paddock and possibly play in the centres for South Sydney. Play Alex Johnston at fullback.
“You’re just not getting enough involvement from Latrell.
"He made a couple of errors and he got away with a couple as well almost leading to Brisbane tries.
“I don’t think he’s ready to play fullback. He’s not fit enough. If he makes four or five runs last week in 55 minutes, four runs this weeks, you’re not getting enough from your fullback.
“I’d get Latrell fit before you put him back in the No.1.”
Latrell Mitchell is not a fullback - pass it on #NRLBroncosSouths
— Eden Richards (@Eden_Richards) March 20, 2020
Gould questioned the 22-year-old's understanding of the game.
"I don't think Latrell understands the game," Gould said on Nine.
"I don't think he understands what it takes to be a great footballer. He's a wonderful talent, we've always raved about his talent.
"But it's the old adage, does the player make the team or does the team make the player. And when you think about the team he's been playing with, the club that had nurtured him and the type talent he's been playing alongside with – Boyd Cordner's, Luke Keary's, James Tedesco's, Cooper Cronk's.
"They're the ones who have fed Latrell and made him the player that he is. Left to stand on his own two-feet, it's going to take him a long time to learn what he needs to contribute to a team and to make that consistent every week where he's actually going to be a value to his team."
Post-match, Bennett said he could start Mitchell in the centres for next week’s game against the Sydney Roosters.
“He needs to play football. That’s the first thing I know. We’ll sit down and have a think about it,” Bennett said.
All those media bagging Latrell Mitchell, he has had 2 ordinary games. He will have a good one shortly. Then you guys will love him again, and then he’ll have some more ordinary games and it will continue the same circle. #NRL @telegraph_sport @FOXNRL @NRLonNine #ClickBait
— T Mac (@MckillopTony) March 20, 2020
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Former NSW Origin star Braith Anasta said on Fox Sports that Mitchell's desire to leave the Roosters for Souths, ultimately to play fullback, deserves to be questioned.
“We need to remember that Latrell Mitchell is the one who wanted this,'' Anasta said.
"He put his hand up, he wants to play fullback. He thinks he’s good enough.
"He thinks he should be No.1 at a premier club and he finds himself there now and he is so far away at the moment it’s not funny.
“We can talk about his 39 metres — but just his execution. His execution was poor. He was thinking pass before run. He’s very rarely in there taking hit-ups or running out of dummy half, taking pressure off your back three and your forwards and getting your sets started. There’s no support play there.
“He’s not playing like a fullback.”
Originally published as Wayne Bennett forced to admit Latrell Mitchell may not be number one