Mitchell charged with crusher tackle, set to miss preliminary final
LATRELL Mitchell will fight a dangerous contact charge at the NRL judiciary on Tuesday night in a bid to be cleared to play in the Sydney Roosters’ preliminary final.
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THIS could be the most pivotal judiciary hearing of the NRL season.
Sydney Roosters star Latrell Mitchell on Monday pleaded not guilty to a dangerous contact head/neck charge and will now front a three-member judiciary panel tonight at NRL headquarters.
If found guilty, Mitchell will be banned for one game – the grand final qualifier against the winner of Saturday evening’s massive semi-final between South Sydney and St George Illawarra.
Losing powerhouse Mitchell – who has made 101 tackle busts and scored 236 points this season - would be a horrid blow for the premiership-chasing Roosters.
Mitchell was charged after a crusher tackle on Sharks centre Josh Dugan in the 42nd minute of last Saturday night’s qualifying final at Allianz Stadium.
It was only a grade one charge but Mitchell has 75 carry over points from another incident late in the season.
That means he would miss one game even by pleading guilty – meaning the Roosters have nothing to lose by taking their big-name centre to a judiciary.
Roosters football manager Lee Bennett did not return calls.
In commentary for Channel Nine, Immortal Andrew Johns watched the tackle and said: “So dangerous.”
There were however three players in the tackle, which may make it difficult for the panel members to find Mitchell guilty.
If banished, Roosters coach Trent Robinson has several options, the most likely being a switch for Mitch Aubusson from back-row to centre.
The only issue is that the Roosters are already light-on in the forwards through the suspension of Queensland State of Origin prop Dylan Napa.
Napa has one further match to serve for a high shot which heavily concussed Broncos hooker Andrew McCullough last month.
Roosters prop Siosiua Taukeiaho is in doubt for the preliminary final with an ankle injury sustained against Cronulla.
Should Mitchell be suspended, Robinson would also have to find a replacement goalkicker.
Mitchell has kicked 86 goals this season for a success rate of 77.5 percent. He has also bulldozed over for 16 tries.
The north coast centre has experienced a superb season which included a robust and successful State of Origin series for NSW against Queensland.
Melbourne centre Will Chambers was suspended for three games over an ugly crusher tackle Parramatta’s Jarryd Hayne last month.
The NRL match review committee charged Mitchell on Sunday afternoon. Tuesday night’s hearing will start at 6pm.
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