NRL 2021: Latrell Mitchell will get even better, warns Wayne Bennett after Origin masterclass
Andrew Johns didn’t rate Latrell Mitchell in his top three players in Origin I. But Wayne Bennett certainly did and has warned rivals the Blues’ strike weapon will get even better.
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Andrew Johns didn’t rate Latrell Mitchell in his top three players following Wednesday night’s opening State of Origin. But Wayne Bennett certainly did.
And while this is not a story to bag a rugby league Immortal about his man-of-the-match selections, it is about last year’s triumphant Queensland coach opening up about how he felt watching his polarising South Sydney star tear apart his beloved state — as well as Mitchell’s legion of critics.
“I wasn’t happy, I was elated,” Bennett said of Mitchell’s first game for NSW since he was dropped in 2019.
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And putting aside his Queensland loyalties ahead of Mitchell backing up when the Rabbitohs take on Newcastle on Saturday, Bennett continued: “To watch him show everybody what he can do in two positions (is what made Bennett most happy).
“And the wonderful skill he can play with, and his ability to beat the man one-on-one, and he had a great passing game. I was really happy for him.
“I know how much it means to him to play well for his state and his family. That stuff is all really important to him.”
Johns, regarded by many as one of the game’s best judges, was asked post match on Channel 9 to name his “3,2,1” and he had Tom Trbojevic as the standout ahead of Nathan Cleary and James Tedesco.
In fairness, you could have thrown just about every other NSW player into that conversation given the overall quality of the performance.
But it still confused me (and others I’ve spoken with) how Mitchell didn’t rate in Joey’s top three players, especially when Matthew Johns then had Mitchell as his man-of-the-match ahead of Turbo (with Jarome Luai getting Matty’s nod for one point) in his column in Friday’s Daily Telegraph.
Bennett refused to comment about anyone else’s opinion, but he was certainly of the view Mitchell deserved to be in the conversation with Trbojevic for best on ground.
But Bennett was most of all just happy for Latrell given what he has seen him go through in his development as a player and as a person.
There is no question Latrell has become one of the game’s most polarising characters for some of his actions at times on and off the field.
But Bennett concedes he struggles to understand why he cops the level of criticism he does, especially all the fallout that followed him early in his career when he initially decided to leave the Roosters.
“I didn’t really get it,” Bennett said. “He was only a young man, is still only a young man.”
Asked if Mitchell was now at his best as a player, Bennett continued: “No. We haven’t seen the best of Latrell. He is 23 years of age. Every year he will get better, for the next two or three years at least.”
Bennett confirmed Mitchell and Jaydn Su’a would be his only Origin players backing up against the Knights with Dane Gagai (hand), Jai Arrow (rib cartilage), Cameron Murray (shoulder) and Damien Cook all to be rested.
Bennett said Cook “just had a few bumps and bruises” but he expected all players to be right to play the Broncos next Thursday night.
Gagai was still awaiting scan results on Friday to see if he had broken his hand, but Bennett said the early signs were positive.
Benji Marshall will now start at hooker with youngster Peter Mamouzelos called up to make his NRL debut as the back-up dummy half.
Hame Sele will start at lock with Liam Knight getting a recall on the bench.
Mamouzelos is a 20-year-old former Maroubra Lions junior who is a dummy half in the mould of Cook with explosive speed.
Personal crusade driving Latrell to Origin glory
By David Riccio
Dripping with emotion and intent, Latrell Mitchell has declared he is on a personal crusade to instil hope and pride within the people of NSW.
Offering an extraordinary insight into his ever-evolving maturity and leadership values, Mitchell spoke of playing with a “big point to prove’’ following the Blues emphatic 50-6 win over Queensland on Wednesday night.
The NSW centre was outstanding in his first Origin appearance in two years, scoring two tries while proving virtually unstoppable in concert with fellow Blues centre Tom Trbojevic.
Back in sky-blue for the first time since being controversially dumped after the Blues game loss in 2019 at Suncorp Stadium, Mitchell had played down his motivation in the lead-up to the Townsville blockbuster.
But inside the NSW dressing rooms post-match, holding a cold Tooheys in one hand while picturing his grip on the Origin shield with the other, Mitchell showed the raw emotion that is clearly driving him.
“I had to work hard to get into this squad,” Mitchell said.
“It’s the best of the best, its mate verse mate, state versus state.
“There’s a lot of great centres out there who were in the running for this (jersey).
“But at the end of the day I have a job to do and a point to prove. A big point.
“A lot of people hate, but I play my footy the way I play and I like to think I bring excitement to the crowd.”
Mitchell said there was an underlying reason to why in his fifth Origin appearance, he produced his greatest game in a blues jersey.
“I want people to be NSW supporters — you can’t live in NSW and support Queensland,” Mitchell said. “We’re here to do a job, we’re here to make people proud. I wanted to make my family proud and I wanted to make NSW proud again.
“Tonight, we made a lot of NSW people proud. We have been through a lot as a state.
“People sitting at home have to realise that we give a lot of people hope.
“That’s what we did it for tonight - the people at home watching footy.
“We know you are watching and we can’t thank you enough.
“Have some more faith, keep the confidence and it will go a long way towards winning the series.
“There was a period there when you had the best players in the world playing for Queensland.
“They were unbeatable. That combination was unbeatable.
“I can understand why Queensland were so dominant for so long.
“To be able to come into a team that was so confident and get the job done, it was an unbelievable feeling.”
Asked if he wanted to declare if he could sense a dynasty period for NSW, Mitchell stopped short - perhaps, another sign of the 23-year-old‘s level head and maturity.
“I can’t really say too much on that. I’m not satisfied, the job’s not done yet,’’ he said.
In addition to his two tries, Mitchell produced six tackle busts, two line-breaks and ran for 154-metres.
“To score two tries in that game was unbelievable. It’s the first win in Queensland, but like I said throughout the week, it doesn’t matter where we play, it’s what we bring,’’ Mitchell said.
“We have to build it through the week and as long as everyone is on the same page, we’ll get the job done.’’
As for his stunning chemistry and combination with ‘everywhere man’ Trbojevic, Mitchell said: “To be honest he surprised me when he came over (to his left-side of the field).
“He is a freak.
“It’s an unbelievable team. I love the players, I love the boys. Morale makes the team.
“The way the camp was set out this year was perfect.
“Now we’ve got to go on with it.’’
HAVE BLUES UNEARTHED ORIGIN’S MOST DEADLY PAIRING?
—Paul Crawley
We’ve just witnessed the start of something very, very special.
In years to come, we will look back on State of Origin I in 2021 as the night one of rugby league’s greatest partnerships was officially born.
And Paul Green now has just over two weeks to come up with a plan to stop Tom Trbojevic and Latrell Mitchell before Origin II at Suncorp on June 27.
Good luck with that.
Unless he can find a way of turning back the clock and reinventing big Mal Meninga and Gene Miles in their prime, what hope do the Queenslanders really have to save this series?
Who cares if they’ll be playing the next game at Suncorp? It wouldn’t matter where they played on Wednesday night.
Nothing was going to stop Turbo and Latrell.
Seriously, has NSW ever had a better centre pairing in the Origin era?
We’ve had some beauties over the years.
You think of names like Mick Cronin and Steve Rogers in the 1980s, Paul ‘Mary’ McGregor and Brad Fittler in the’90s, Mark Gasnier and Matt Cooper in the 2000s.
They were all brilliant.
But better than Turbo and Latrell?
Together?
As Freddy Fittler allowed them to play. Giving Turbo his licence to roam and Latrell the freedom to play without fear.
Trbojevic bagged three tries, Latrell two.
Turbo ran for 168m, his centre partner 154m that included seven tackle busts as well as two linebreaks.
Last year Wayne Bennett got lucky not having to coach against either as the so-called worst Queensland team in history pulled off one of the great shock victories.
But unless something bad happens to either of these two footballing freaks in the next two weeks, Green is going to be having nightmares trying to close them down.
The Blues started so fast and Queensland just couldn’t keep up with them, with fast play the balls giving NSW a tremendous advantage.
And on the back of that, the back five cut loose.
Latrell’s first half was outstanding and Turbo equally as fantastic.
Latrell was up to 118m with five tackle busts and two linebreaks while Trbojevic only had 66m, but was absolutely everywhere.
Brian To’o had racked up a double by the break, but his work coming out of trouble was just as impressive.
He had eight first half runs for 99m, and every time he touched the ball he carried it back with great vigour, running as hard and aggressive as his little legs could carry him.
It was on one of those charges that a head clash with Christian Welch put the Queensland enforcer out of the game after just 12 minutes, which was a massive blow for the Maroons.
By the finish, To’o was up to 215m and James Tedesco next best with 181m.
Damien Cook had only had two runs in total but the first one was a ripper, cutting straight through on a 40m bust to create the chance for To’o’s first try.
On the flip side, the Maroons had 51 per cent of first half possession but looked absolutely gassed, completing at 79 per cent to NSW’s 89 per cent while making 167 tackles to the Blues’ 148.
What made their job a hell of a lot tougher was losing Welch so early.
Payne Haas ran for the most metres in the forwards after starting off the bench, 138m, while Daniel Saifiti finished with 125m.
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