NRL 2022: Inside story: Behind the scenes of the infamous match between Souths and Roosters
Suspensions, injuries, insults and fines - this is the story of the wild night when the Roosters last played the Rabbitohs.
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Latrell Mitchell will face the Sydney Roosters on Friday night for the first time since he infamously shattered Joey Manu’s face almost seven months ago.
Both camps have done their level best to keep a lid on their emotions this week, insisting the past is the past and any bad blood has long since gone.
History suggests otherwise. The Daily Telegraph has spoken to some of the key players about the night in question, how Mitchell rebuilt his image and their expectations for Friday night.
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THE TACKLE
Funnily enough, it’s not the Mitchell hit on Manu that sticks in the mind of South Sydney hooker Damien Cook. It’s the next tackle that strikes a cord with Cook.
“I can’t remember who took a run,” Cook said. “It was a couple of people from each side flying at each other.”
Footage of that tackle doesn’t do it justice. The cameras at the time were focused on Mitchell as he made his way off the field for his 10 minute stint in the sin-bin.
As Mitchell was trudging from the field, Roosters players seated on the sidelines made their feelings known.
Meanwhile, the game continued and the lopsided scoreline — Souths won 54-12 — didn’t reflect the tension that filled the ground that night.
“It was one of the most emotional and intense rivalry games I have had with the Roosters,” Cook said.
Souths captain Cameron Murray added: “There was a lot of hype and energy around it. I was trying to calm everyone down. That’s all I try to do when there’s a stink. I was trying to protect my teammates.
“Obviously he [Manu] was going to be frustrated when he thought he had broken his cheekbone. I know Latrell was very remorseful and probably wishes he could have changed the outcome, but there are no hard feelings from it, I’m glad to see Joey back, glad to see he’s made a full recovery and he’s fit and healthy.”
THE WITNESS
Corey Parker was in the middle of the action as a player but in retirement, he has stalked the sidelines in his job as a commentator with Fox League.
Parker had a bird’s eye view of the drama as it unfolded.
“I reckon I was about two metres from the bench of the Roosters,” Parker said.
“At the time they had all those injured players and they were up here - they were able to be on the sideline as well.
“The Roosters were getting beaten so there was a fair bit going on emotion wise. You got the sense something was bubbling.”
Then Mitchell clashed with Manu.
“When he was walking off, as he got closer to the sideline, the sideline started to erupt, guys like Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Victor (Radley)” Parker said.
“Trent Robinson was down on the sidelines at this point and he got in between Jared and Latrell. He was acting like a traffic cop.”
When Mitchell returned to the action, he infuriated the Roosters again when he celebrated a try by appearing to bounce the ball in the face of young Roosters forward Fletcher Baker.
There was talk that after the game that Mitchell attempted to visit Manu in the Roosters sheds, only to be turned away by Waerea-Hargreaves.
Parker believes only Robinson’s intervention prevented matters getting completely out of hand.
“So did Robbo I think, which is why he put himself between them all,” Parker said.
“She was touch-and-go, I tell you.”
THE AFTERMATH
In the days following the game, the Roosters were slapped with fines totalling $40,000 over comments made by Robinson and the behaviour of their players on the sidelines.
Mitchell was whacked with a six-game suspension but remained with the Rabbitohs in Queensland and helped prepare his understudy Blake Taaffe for the finals.
“I’m proud of Latrell and the way he handled it [the suspension],” Murray said.
“He could have kicked up a stink, he could have blamed people and made excuses, but he owned it, he did what he needed to do for the team up until the grand final, which was to get into that second side and run scrimmage against us and make us better.”
Robinson concedes the Roosters could have handled things better as well.
“We talked about it — we obviously got fined for it,” Robinson said.
“We could have handled things better on the sideline — I think I said it after that. We should have been cleaner. It was pretty wild. Trelly got his suspension for it. That was footy. It just wasn’t handled well at that point in time and it just escalated.
“I have been involved in some wild nights and that was just another one of them.”
Mitchell made his return from suspension last week in Melbourne. He almost got his side over the line but fell agonisingly short. It was almost the ideal tune-up for Friday night.
“He’s feeling really fit and healthy, he did a really good job playing 80 minutes at the back, and he’ll only grow from that,” Murray said. “I’m keen to see Latrell kick into his stride this week. He always brings a lot of confidence for us. He did a great job.
“I can’t say a bad word about him. It was very mature of him. He had a team-first mentality, which is something we pride ourselves on here.
THE REMATCH
Trent Robinson knows better than most what to expect from Latrell Mitchell. Before he moved to South Sydney, Mitchell cut his teeth at the Roosters under Robinson.
There are some at South Sydney who believe the Roosters will never forgive Latrell Mitchell for switching camps. They believe the Roosters’ view of Mitchell is blinded by jealousy and rage.
The Roosters counter by suggesting Mitchell would have stayed had they been willing to budge on their offer. They insist they pulled the deal as Mitchell hesitated and his camp pursued more money.
It all adds to the intrigue that surrounds one of the game’s greatest players as he prepares to face his former teammates. As does the suggestion emanating from Redfern that after the Manu incident, the Rabbitohs believe the Roosters were doing their best to have Mitchell rubbed out for a long time.
“He is one of the most resilient and mentally strong people I have come across in the game,” Souths chief executive Blake Solly said.
“Some of the criticism he faces and some of the things he’s been through, lesser people would have folded. But he is so strong and resilient and passionate about what he does.”
He is also a superstar. A player capable of shaping the outcomes of games on his own. That’s the version of Mitchell the Roosters expect to come across on Friday night.
“He plays big moments, Latrell,” Robinson said.
“He is there to play. He thrives on these moments. I have seen him since he was a kid and he enjoys these contests.
“We expect him to play at his best.”
History behind Latrell-Manu blow-up
-Michael Carayannis
Joey Manu concedes Latrell Mitchell “wanted to smash” him but carries no ill-will against his ex-teammate as they prepare to come face-to-face for the first time in seven months.
It comes as Manu confirmed the pair had not seen each other since the incident which left Manu with a broken face and Mitchell suspended for six matches.
The incident ended both their seasons and left their respective clubs seething.
The fiery exchange has set the stage for a volatile blockbuster at Accor Stadium on Friday.
A measured Manu said he held no grudges towards Mitchell, who he described as a good friend.
“I don’t know what happened in that game,” Manu told The Daily Telegraph. “He just got it wrong. It wasn’t personal. I am close to his family. Our families know and respect each other. It wasn’t personal. He just wanted to smash me. Which is sweet.”
The pair rose through the ranks at the Roosters together and often clashed at training. After they squared off in a 2018 Test match Mitchell described Manu as the game’s best centre.
“That’s what we were always trying to do at training,” Manu said. “He tried to bash me and I tried to bash him.
“When we were here the competition was big. He is a competitive guy and I am pretty competitive.
“When we trained against each other we were edge on edge and always wanted to win. Some sessions there were big shots. I’d get him and he would get me. When it was Aussie against New Zealand, I wanted to beat him. He isn’t in the centres anymore so we can’t have that battle.
“The external noise and the build-up will be big. I’m looking forward to it. I’ve always enjoyed playing Souths.”
Mitchell checked on Manu via text message shortly after the incident which left him with three metal plates inserted into his face.
The pair have yet to cross paths in person, although Mitchell has said he still loves his “brother’’.
“It will be good to see him and talk,” Manu said. “I think we’re still friends. It will be good to see him and see how he is going. He messaged me. I was in pain. I couldn’t remember much. It was a short talk. I haven’t spoken to him properly. We’ve been mates for a while. It will stay that way.”
Manu has returned to the field for the Roosters opening two games while Mitchell turned out for his first game since the ban last week.
Manu said it took months for the feeling to come back to his face.
“After four weeks I started training again with the boys on the Sunshine Coast,” Manu said. “The whole feeling came back slowly – I’m talking months. The first week was pretty tough. The first two weeks I was sore and swollen. I had pressure around the head. After that I started feeling pretty good pretty quickly. (The surgeon) did a pretty good job. It feels normal.”
Victor Radley is the Rooster identified as the most likely to target Mitchell on Friday.
Mitchell is ready for a fiery confrontation.
“I know there’ll be headhunting, but that’s the game,” Mitchell told Fox League last week.
“I’ll be running straight. We’re good. I gave him a message.
“I didn’t really trust too many people to talk about Joey. That’s why I haven’t really come out and said anything. I couldn’t be more apologetic.”
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