NRL 2023: Latrell Mitchell Instagram post addresses South Sydney Rabbitohs player rift

South Sydney superstar Latrell Mitchell has addressed claims he is at war with some of his teammates following a chaotic 24 hours at The Burrow.

Latrell Mitchell.

South Sydney superstar Latrell Mitchell has broken his silence on claims he is at war with some of his teammates.

Mitchell posted an image on social media on Thursday afternoon of the Souths playing group with a caption underneath that reiterated his love for the club and his teammates.

“Sometimes we fight, sometimes we argue but there ain’t no negotiation on how much I love this club and my team mates,” Mitchell wrote.

Souths have been a club under siege in recent days following the departure of assistant coach and club legend Sam Burgess, believed to be over conflicting opinions on the treatment of Mitchell and fellow star Cody Walker.

Mitchell has also come under fire over his performance in the club’s last-start loss to Newcastle, which culminated in him being charged with dangerous contact for an elbow to NSW teammate Tyson Frizell.

Mitchell will miss the club’s regular season finale against the Sydney Roosters, a game which may decide whether they play finals football this year.

BENNETT SLAMS CRITICISM

Wayne Bennett has slammed critics of Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker and has backed besieged Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou to stabilise strife-torn South Sydney.

Now at the Dolphins, the former Rabbitohs coach launched a passionate defence of his former assistant Demetriou, Mitchell and Walker and Sam Burgess in the wake of the English legend’s departure from Redfern.

Bennett also took aim at the “wiser people” at South Sydney who convinced Burgess to stay loyal to the Rabbitohs in the face of an offer to join the Dolphins.

South Sydney are fighting to save their season amid the exit of Burgess, fellow assistant John Morris’ impending move to Wests Tigers and explosive allegations Mitchell and Walker run the show at Redfern.

Wayne Bennett says Latrell Mitchell was easy to coach. Picture: AAP/Bianca De Marchi

But Bennett, who took Souths to the 2021 grand final and first hired Demetriou at the Broncos, scoffed at suggestions Mitchell and Walker are high-maintenance.

Asked if they are difficult to manage, Bennett said: “No.

“They were great guys. I loved coaching them, they were really good people.

“Jason is the coach there now and it’s his decisions.

“What has happened here is a great example of what happens and how you handle it.

“South Sydney are under pressure - simple as that.

“They haven’t performed as they should have in a lot of people’s minds and pressure is the thing that makes and breaks teams and makes and breaks the individual and makes and breaks coaches.

“It’s how you handle it.”