Latrell Mitchell gunning for NSW Blues Origin redemption | Locker Room

Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou has slammed rumours that Latrell Mitchell is unwilling to play for NSW and is going slow on his rehabilitation as a result.

Latrell Mitchell’s manager says the Blues star was filthy injury kept him from helping NSW in Origin Game I. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

Can someone get a health-check on Latrell Mitchell’s cushions?

The fluffy pillows were last seen being flung across the NRL star’s living room.

That was about 9.30pm, a couple of Wednesday nights ago.

It was around about the same time that Queensland broke NSW hearts, by climbing off the canvas to claim Origin I, 16-10 in Adelaide.

“He was watching game one at home and he was kicking a pillow, chomping at the bit, as it all unfolded,” Mitchell’s right-hand man and manager Matt Rose said.

“He was filthy.”

Only a few nights earlier, Mitchell had stood inside the Blues team hotel in Sydney.

Hugging his damaged calf was a compression sling.

As his teammates and the NSW coaching staff stared back at him, Mitchell’s eyes began to glisten with tears, his shoulders rolled forward and his head began shaking back and forth.

An emotional Mitchell explained that he needed to pull the NSW jersey from his back.

Latrell Mitchell’s manager says the Blues star was filthy injury kept him from helping NSW in Origin Game I. Picture: Sam Ruttyn

His calf had gone ping at training on the Sunday session before Wednesday’s match, so the chances of embarrassing some Cane Toads were zero.

For the sake of the team, Mitchell needed to rule himself out of game one in Adelaide.

The room went quiet as Stephen Crichton, Mitchell’s centre replacement, stepped forward and vowed to do him proud.

One could argue, Crichton did exactly that in Adelaide.

The context to Mitchell’s pummeled cushions, his tears and almost-hourly push to be part of Origin II, obliterates the social media stir being peddled, most likely from north of the border, that the South Sydney giant is off the Blues, is off Brad Fittler and is off Origin camp-life.

OPINION | It is not impossible for NSW to level the Origin ledger in Brisbane, but it is unlikely writes Brent Read, provided they pick Latrell Mitchell and stick by an out of form star. 👉 https://t.co/Re1c4HBXuGpic.twitter.com/l5bMjYV7Dx

— The Daily Telegraph (@dailytelegraph) June 2, 2023

The story goes that only a day after suffering the calf injury, Mitchell happened to be at a basketball court with some teammates when a TV camera crew reportedly spotted the Rabbitohs fullback.

Because Mitchell was at the court and not wrapped in ice or receiving infra-red treatment, that well, he must not be that badly injured and perhaps, he’s just bunging this all on.

“I’ve never heard anything more pathetic in my life,’’ Rose said.

Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou had also heard the rumour.

He said he only wished he could say what he really thought of the assertion, but instead chose his words carefully, for this column.

Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou has shot down speculation Mitchell is off Brad Fittler and life in Blues camp. Picture: Getty Images.

“It’s just ridiculous,’’ Demetriou said.

“Latrell was gutted not to pull on the Blues jersey. Now he’s doing everything he can to get back.

“Latrell’s passionate to get back on the field and to play for Freddy (Fittler) and the Blues.

“He’s racing the clock for them and the whole club is behind both he and our other contenders (Cameron Murray, Damien Cook and Cody Walker).’’

Mitchell has been given a rehabilitation program to repair his calf of which the Bunnies staff are trying to hold him back from getting ahead of himself. They keep telling him that patience is key to wearing Blue in game two.

Mitchell is likely to run for the first time on Monday – 14-days since straining his calf. It’s a fitness test that the entire Blues coaching staff hope that the game’s most devastating player passes with flying colours.

“If he’s been asked to do a specific exercise five times, he’s doing it 10 times,’’ Rose said.

“They’d (NSW) be mad not to pick him and let him progress through the week.

“Both he and Cody Walker (who Rose also manages) so desperately want to be right to help their state.

“Heaven help if they get there.’’

At least we know the cushions will be safe.

Originally published as Latrell Mitchell gunning for NSW Blues Origin redemption | Locker Room