Craddock: The good, the bad, and the ugly of a Latrell move to QLD
There’s no doubt that every Queensland-based NRL club could benefit from signing Latrell Mitchell. But there’s plenty of underlying problems, too, writes Robert Craddock.
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AT first glance Latrell Mitchell would seem a great buy for all three Queensland clubs. At second glance you spot the problems.
Mitchell could come to Queensland but it would require some mathematical gymnastics to get him here that would seemingly be beyond the Titans and Broncos and a fair stretch but not an impossibility for the Cowboys.
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All three clubs have other priorities which they must address before him and have an octopus called the salary cap wrapping its tentacles around their wallets.
Here’s how the three Queensland clubs are placed if Mitchell leaves the Roosters.
THE BRONCOS
Given the Broncos are rattling cans to try to sign the relatively inexpensive Brodie Croft it defies logic they could do a loaves and fishes job and recruit Mitchell.
Also, the jury is very much out on whether the flighty Mitchell, for all his brilliance, would be an Anthony Seibold style player.
Would he go the same way as Mitchell’s hard-to-manage former NSW centre partner James Roberts who is now at South Sydney after failing to meet new disciplinary standards at the Broncos?
The medically enforced retirement of Matt Gillett will give the Broncos some relief but halves are their big issue.
Had Jack Bird and his $800,000 a year salary vacated the premises it might have been different but after being given permission to talk to other clubs he will stay at Red Hill.
The Broncos are in a difficult period where they have an “upside down’’ salary structure ... senior players like Darius Boyd still on big money while a group of up and comers like David Fifita and Payne Haas have been on small bickies but have and will be rewarded with major upgrades.
THE COWBOYS
It’s true. The Cowboys slow moving backline could do with an injection of Mitchell’s pizzazz in the same way as a plain mince pie craves some tomato sauce.
Can you imagine the electricity that would await his entrance to the new stadium?
But they may already have someone arriving with the sauce bottle - Valentine Holmes, who is in the United States mulling over his future.
One thing is clear.
There is no way Holmes and Mitchell could both be signed for next year.
If Holmes signs Mitchell must surely be out of play.
The numbers just don’t fit. Jason Taumalolo is in the middle of a 10-year deal which will bring him $1 million a year.
Michael Morgan is getting $1 million a year for five years. Holmes would be getting $1 million a year. Josh Maguire is reportedly on $800,000. It just seems incongruous that three players in one club could be getting more than $1 million.
THE TITANS
Mal Meninga said a few months ago the Titans had just $100,000 left to spare in their salary cap and they have pressure coming from all quarters.
The problem with battling clubs is that they often have to pay overs to retain players and the Titans have too many moving parts - and some parts which probably need to be moved on but can’t because they are under contract.
AJ Brimson and Jai Arrow are cornerstones of the club and must be re-signed at all costs.
The Titans gave permission for both players to sniff the market and now the clubs needs to have enough up its sleeve to keep both on the Coast.
Also the clubs are set to shore up their edge back-rowers and see how Ash Taylor settles in after his mental health issues before they launch a major cash splash.
There is also the feeling Mitchell would be the wrong signing for the wrong time at the Coast who are trying to rebuild their culture after a testing year.
Given that senior Titans players were scolded because of their lack of effort so they really want to sign a senior player who has been recently scolded for his lack of effort?
Originally published as Craddock: The good, the bad, and the ugly of a Latrell move to QLD