Latrell Mitchell opens up on his rollercoaster season and where he wants to play in the future
Latrell Mitchell was unstoppable at times in 2019. But it wasn’t all good news and that encouraged the detractors. The game’s hottest off-contract star opens up on his Jekyll and Hyde season.
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Latrell Mitchell has fired an ominous warning to the NRL declaring he isn’t even close to fulfilling his potential.
The Kangaroos superstar said his smile has finally returned after a rollercoaster season which saw him go from producing one of the greatest individual performances to having his desire questioned leading to his Origin axing.
Mitchell was unstoppable at times with a 26-point haul against the Tigers in May the highlight.
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It prompted some to label him the game’s best player.
The performance though brought with it an expectation Mitchell had to replicate it every week or be criticised if he didn’t.
“I know I go in and out of games,” Mitchell said.
“That’s how footy is. You play that one game and people think you can play like that every game. It’s a mental thing. I haven’t reached my full mental capacity with rugby league. I’m only young. People think I’m 30, 35 You have to laugh at those people because they think they know everything. I just sit back and laugh and think ‘what have you done with your life, you’re sitting here telling me I’m in and out of games and you’ve never played a game of rugby league’.
“I haven’t hit my potential. Not even a long shot. It’s knowing what I need to do with myself and prepare the way I did for the Tigers game and doing that every week. That’s what I’ve got to find.”
Mitchell is the game’s hottest off-contract star. He is in no rush as clubs prepare to throw him a million dollar deal.
“I know people say it affects your footy but that’s why I’ve got a manager,” Mitchell said.
“I’ll just worry about footy. It’s very flattering for teams to go out of their way to be like ‘I want Latrell Mitchell as a marquee player’. I’m like ‘wow’. I was just a kid from Taree doing nothing. I only found interest when I was 16. It’s awesome to see how far I’ve come. I will make a decision when it’s the right one for me and my family.”
What he has hinted at though is a potential positional swap following Cooper Cronk’s retirement. Luke Keary will steer the Roosters around and they have signed Cronulla youngster Kyle Flanagan but Mitchell said he had spoken with club coach Trent Robinson about a permanent move into the halves.
“It’s something I dream about,” Mitchell said.
“(Robinson) tells me to dream about what you want to do on the footy field. I’ve dreamt about a lot of things this year and I basically got them all.”
Something that is certain is how at ease Mitchell feels with the Kangaroos. He has been scootering around Auckland indicating he never wants to leave his Australian teammates.
Aside from the highs and lows on the field, Mitchell has become a champion for the indigenous community. He has taken it upon himself to lead change and call out racism at every opportunity.
“(I lost my smile) in the middle part after rep footy,” Mitchell said.
“I never got told what I needed to work on. People can say attitude. I don’t think my attitude (was bad). I was going through a lot. Maybe I can put it down to that. If you’re not happy off field you’re not going to perform on field.
“I feel like I am a leader, whether I like it or not. Especially in my community. I love showing people what I'm proud of. I am proud of my heritage and to get an opportunity where I am on this stage and get my words out and my message to the younger generations, non-indigenous and indigenous.
“We've always sat back and looked from afar but I can't do it anymore. You can hide behind a keyboard and say stuff.
"I don't go out of my way to belittle someone. It's pathetic.”