Latrell Mitchell, Jack Wighton break silence after dramatic arrest as support comes for pair
Although Jack Wighton and Latrell Mitchell are in hot water for their late night street scuffle, Kangaroos and Raiders great Gary Belcher has urged the pair not to change their ways.
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Kangaroos and Canberra legend Gary Belcher has launched a passionate defence of Jack Wighton and Latrell Mitchell, urging the duo not to change their ways in the wake of their ‘Wrestlemania’ nightclub fiasco.
The NSW Origin duo were arrested by police following an off-field incident in which Mitchell and Wighton allegedly clashed, with the pair spending the night in a Canberra jail cell.
Wighton and Mitchell will appear before the ACT Magistrates Court on February 22, less than a fortnight before the 2023 NRL premiership launches on March 22.
It is not the first time Wighton has been in hot water, with the Raiders playmaker slapped with a two-month suspended jail sentence in 2018 after assaulting five men in a drunken late-night rampage in Canberra.
The Australian World Cup stars released a statement on Monday apologising for their actions but denied being involved in a full-scale bust-up, insisting they were only wrestling amongst each other and did not harm other members of the public.
Despite Wighton’s latest altercation, Queensland Origin great Belcher leapt to the defence of the Raiders ace, insisting the 2019 Clive Churchill Medallist is not a problem child.
Asked if Wighton needs to grow up and change his ways, Belcher, who played 148 games for the Green Machine, said: “I don’t want Jack to change at all.
“I know times have changed, but I can’t believe the hysteria over this.
“I love that Jack is a bit of a rogue and I like that he wears his heart on his sleeve.
“Jack would have fitted in beautifully with the old Raiders premiership sides. He is a brilliant young player who gives his all on the field and he would have had a great time off the field.
“In our day, he would have been wrestling with Ricky Stuart or Mal Meninga and the cops would have come up and said, ‘C’mon boys, we know who you are, settle it down’.
“It’s a different world now. I don’t know all the finer details, so I don’t want to be telling Jack Wighton how to live his life, but I love the way he goes about his business.
“Latrell is the same. He has come a long way as a person in the last couple of years. He is a brilliant ambassador for rugby league, he is comfortable with who he is, I think they are both good for rugby league.
“It says a lot now about modern technology and it pisses me off the way some NRL players get treated.
“If another person was involved, that’s different, but if Jack and Latrell are having a wrestle between themselves, who cares, just pull your heads in and use some discretion.”
In a statement released by the management of Mitchell and Wighton, the duo explained their actions.
“For legal reasons we cannot comment on the charges that are before the Court at the moment,” the pair said.
“However we wanted to express remorse for putting ourselves in the position to embarrass our clubs and the NRL over the weekend.
“We were there to celebrate Jack’s 30th with family and friends. While everyone enjoyed a great night, we understand that our wrestle, as harmless as we believed it to be, was a poor decision and may have looked bad.
“We are sorry for this, and know that we need to be better when in public.”
Mitchell and Wighton declared they are committed to the upcoming Indigenous-Maori All Stars clash in New Zealand on February 11.
“We remain great friends, and are looking forward to proudly representing our community at All Stars this weekend,” they said.
Mitchell, Wighton break silence as NRL makes All Stars call
- Phil Rothfield, Tamaryn McGregor
Latrell Mitchell and Jack Wighton have issued a joint statement apologising for the incident in Canberra which led to the pair’s dramatic arrest on Sunday morning, as the NRL confirmed the pair would be available to play for the Indigenous All Stars.
“For legal reasons we cannot comment on the charges that are before the court at the moment,” the statement from Mitchell and Wighton said.
“However we wanted to express remorse for putting ourselves in the position to embarrass our clubs and the NRL over the weekend.
“We were there to celebrate Jack’s 30th with family and friends. While everyone enjoyed a great night, we understand that our wrestle, as harmless as we believed it to be, was a poor decision and may have looked bad.
“We are sorry for this, and know that we need to be better when in public.
“We remain great friends, and are looking forward to proudly representing our community at All Stars this weekend.”
The NRL confirmed Mitchell and Wighton were clear to play for the Indigenous All Stars.
“Both Latrell Mitchell and Jack Wighton remain available to participate in the 2023 Harvey Norman All Stars match this Saturday in Rotorua,” a statement from the NRL said said.
“The NRL will await the conclusion of the criminal proceedings before finalising its process, and determining any applicable sanction, under the NRL rules.”
Mitchell and Wighton joined the Indigenous All Stars squad at Sydney Airport on Monday morning, appearing chatty and happy with one another.
The pair checked in at the International Terminal alongside teammates, before boarding a flight bound for Auckland just before 10am.
The pair did not speak to media and seemed calm and content as they had their passports scanned.
Mitchell had to be examined by South Sydney’s club doctor on Sunday night after hurting his shoulder as he was arrested and handcuffed by police in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The club’s medico, Dr Andrew McDonald, visited the South Sydney Rabbitohs superstar at his Chifley home before he joined the Indigenous All Stars team at a Sydney Hotel.
Mitchell can be heard screaming “my shoulders” in a dramatic arrest outside Canberra nightclub Fiction at 3.45am on Sunday in video footage from the scene.
Physios will monitor Mitchell’s injury but the doctor has ruled out anything serious that could stop him from playing in round one of the competition.
The Rabbitohs have ruled out making a complaint into the circumstances of the arrest.
Mitchell and fellow NSW Origin and Kangaroos star Jack Wighton were detained and spent the night in custody in an untimely and embarrassing blow for the NRL on the eve of the season.
The pair had been out celebrating Wighton’s 30th birthday.
Graphic footage of Mitchell’s arrest involving at least four police officers emerged on Sunday night, with the NRL integrity unit now investigating.
Police charged both players with a range of offences over the incident at 3.45am outside a Canberra nightclub.
They will appear in court on Wednesday, February 22, the week before the NRL kick-off.
Mitchell and Wighton were released from custody around 10am.
The pair travelled to Sydney separately to join the Indigenous All Stars squad in the team hotel on Sunday night.
They are due to leave for New Zealand on Monday morning to play the Māori All Stars on Saturday.
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