State of Origin late mail: ‘Selfless’ Latrell Mitchell made own call on Origin withdrawal
NSW Blues coach Brad Fittler has described backline ace Latrell Mitchell as “selfless” for pulling out of the State of Origin opener in Adelaide.
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The NSW Blues have been forced to overcome a dramatic 24 hours where a player initially snubbed from the entire Blues squad has now been asked to become the 11th hour saviour.
Penrith’s Stephen Crichton – originally overlooked for NSW – was promoted from outsider to 18th man last week after South Sydney’s Campbell Graham withdrew due to a sternum injury.
And Crichton’s magic ride continued on Monday when elevated into the starting side after NSW superstar Latrell Mitchell pulled out with a calf injury.
“I wasn’t in the (original) squad at all,” a shocked Crichton said.
The NSW side arrived in Adelaide on Monday afternoon desperately attempting to push aside a disrupted preparation ahead of Origin I on Wednesday night.
NSW halfback Nathan Cleary has an infected tooth but will play, declaring: “I’m good.”
Mitchell injured his calf at training on Sunday night and ruled himself out on Monday morning in Sydney, a decision NSW coach Brad Fittler described as “selfless.”
Despite the initial setback, Crichton says he will now take the game “head on”.
“(When I missed selection) I was looking back at my game and seeing where I could improve,” he said. “The players Freddie (Fittler) picked first up were definitely the best centres and outside backs in the comp.
“I just looked at it as an opportunity to try and play my best in my next few games with Penrith and get selected in the next two (Origin) games. When I was 18th man, I was excited to come into camp and do all I can to prepare the boys for the game.
“But Freddie ended up giving me the call and I’m so blessed to be here. I will prepare the same and take the game head on. It’s exciting news – I’m pretty keen.
“I’m here due to injury but I want to do the state proud now that I’ve been named to play. Now I’ve been named, I’m ready for the opportunity. It will be another game to write down in the books with my (Penrith) brothers.”
Fittler left the final decision on whether he should play to Mitchell, who spoke to NSW teammates at a team meeting in Sydney to reveal his heartbreak.
“We got some scans last night and they said he had a grade one strain,” Fittler said.
“That’s not dire but it was all going to be based on how he felt and he thought, given Stephen had been here all week (as 18th man), he knew what Stephen could provide, Latrell made the selfless decision to say he wasn’t going to be right.
“The decision was Latrell’s. I left it up to him. You could see it in his face (on Monday night) and the scans proved to him that there was something wrong.
“It was good to see him get up in front of the group and explain the situation and give some confidence to ‘Critter’ (Crichton) too.”
Crichton added: “Latrell was pretty emotional (at withdrawing). I know how Latrell felt – he was pretty sad that this opportunity wasn’t there for him anymore due to injury.”
In a silver lining for NSW, Crichton will play left centre on Wednesday night alongside Panthers teammate Jarome Luai and Brian To’o.
“It wasn’t planned that way but that’s just the way it all fell. They know each others’ voices, they will all be familiar,” Fittler said. “And they will have to do a pretty good job.
“Queensland has some talent. Val Holmes will be coming down that way, (Selwyn) Cobbo, Reece Walsh coming around the outside, (Daly) Cherry-Evans.”
Crichton’s inclusion means nine players in the NSW squad have a Panthers pedigree – Crichton, Cleary, Jarome Luai, Brian To’o, Isaah Yeo, Matt Burton, Api Koroisau, Liam Martin and Tevita Pangai. Crichton played in last year’s series in game two and three.
HOW LATRELL DELIVERED SHOCK NEWS
A shattered Latrell Mitchell delivered the shock news he was out of the State of Origin opener to Blues teammates on Monday morning.
NSW centre Mitchell was ruled out of Wednesday night’s clash with Queensland in Adelaide due to a calf injury and has been replaced by Penrith’s Stephen Crichton, with Canterbury’s Matt Burton coming in as 18th man.
NSW team advisor Greg Alexander told The Daily Telegraph that Mitchell, 25, was upset when informing the team of his shock withdrawal after suffering the injury in the final drill at training on Sunday.
It was in the motion of slowing down from a running drill that he knew something wasn’t right.
The superstar was sent for scans on Sunday night in Sydney which revealed a minor strain.
“It was an emotional Latrell who told his teammates that he was out at the team hotel,’’ Alexander said.
“When it happened, I was watching him and I could tell straight away something wasn’t right.
“We sat down on Monday morning and had a chat and Latrell knew that he had to make the tough call.”
The TAB reacted immediately to Mitchell’s omission, with the Blues blowing out from $1.65 to $1.85 in head-to-head betting,while Queensland has firmed from $2.25 to $2.
“It’s a massive blow to the Blues, he’s had such an influence for Souths this season and looked prime for a big series,” theTAB’s Rohan Welsh said.
“The market is about 55 per cent to Queensland in head-to-head betting now. TAB still have NSW as favourites, but the money will likely come again for Queensland now after strong interest in the Maroons last week.
“Mitchell had been one of the most popular picks with Nathan Cleary and Payne Haas for player of the match and was second best backed as first try-scorer behind Tom Trbojevic.”
Crichton played all three games for NSW in last year’s series and has been in red-hot form for Penrith in recent weeks.
However, replacing Mitchell borders on the impossible for NSW given his stature in the game and the way he has tormented Queensland in the past.
The Souths superstar would be devastated by his latest setback given he missed last year’s series through injury.
He had spoken about how much he was looking forward to his return, only for injury to intervene and rob him of the chance of a Blues comeback.
Mitchell fronted the media after Sunday night’s training session, showing no signs of obvious distress, telling reporters he was ready to rip in at Adelaide Oval.
“I’ve always loved to come into (Blues camp). We’re getting everyone ready to perform on Wednesday night to go down to Adelaide and do a job,” Mitchell said.
“I’m keen. I’m loving it.”
But just 12 hours after Mitchell spoke about reconnecting with the back-five that last helped the Blues to a series win, injury robbed him of the chance to take the field for NSW once again.
“It felt like we had never left from 2021. It has been enjoyable to get back onto the field,” Mitchell said on Sunday night.
Blues assistant coach Andrew Johns said the calf strain was only minor and that Mitchell could be available for game two of the series at Suncorp Stadium.
“Yeah, I think he will be (available),” John told Channel Nine.
“I understand it’s only very slight. It’ll be a twinge so we’re talking about a week or two.
“I think it’s only a small tear but you cannot risk an outside back.”
PAYNE HAAS FITNESS BOOST AHEAD OF GAME 1
NSW powerhouse Payne Haas trained freely on Sunday night in a huge boost for the Blues ahead of Wednesday’s Origin series opener at Adelaide Oval.
Haas sent a scare through the Blues camp on Friday after he rolled his ankle during a field session at Coogee Oval.
The prop was helped off the field on Friday and was seen with ice strapped to his left ankle.
But Haas appeared unbothered by the injury on Sunday night, as the Blues finalised their game one preparations with a training session under lights at Accor Stadium.
The Broncos prop, who currently leads the Dally M count, arrived at Sunday’s session wearing a zip-up jumper raising concerns he would sit out the training run.
But Haas completed the session and even put the ankle to the test running sprint drills with fellow forward Junior Paulo.
“It’s good to have him back. It looks like nothing was ever wrong with him, the way he was running around today,” Paulo said.
“It was a bit of a scare (on Friday), but I thought it was a bit of a carry-on from him.”
“We knew he was going to be all right, he just had to ice up. One day makes a difference when you’ve just got to rest up and recover.”
Haas’ unavailability would have created a headache for coach Brad Fittler given the forward’s ability to play big minutes through the middle of the field.
The Blues desperately missed Haas’ go-forward in last year’s series decider loss, which he missed with a shoulder injury.
While Haas is set to take the field on Wednesday night, Wests Tigers prop Stefano Utoikamanu was added as the 19th man earlier in the week and would come into the 17 if Haas was eventually ruled out.
Haas is currently in negotiations with the Broncos to extend his time at Redhill on a deal that is believed to be the richest in the club’s history.
Already close friend and Blues teammate Tevita Pangai Jr has made it known he would like the Brisbane prop to join him at Canterbury.
Now, South Sydney fullback Mitchell has made a similar pitch to the prop to join the Rabbitohs.
“He can come to Souths if he wants,” Mitchell said.
“You can see why he’s nothing short of an incredible player. He’ll definitely go down as one of the greats.”
Fittler also ran a number of different forward combinations on Sunday night. Paulo, who is expected to start from the bench on Wednesday night, switched in and out of the starting 13 when running plays.
Locks Cameron Murray and Isaah Yeo also trained at the same time.
Earlier in the week Murray was spotted at hooker and is one option to cover for Api Koroisau in game one. Cronulla halfback Nicho Hynes, who has been named in the no.14 jumper is another option at dummy half.
Newcastle backrower Tyson Frizell ran on the right edge with Canberra’s Hudson Young on the left side of the field.
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