‘Damning’ footage exposes Latrell Mitchell as ‘lazy footballer’ amid Rabbitohs crisis

South Sydney star Latrell Mitchell has been labelled “lazy” as damning footage exposed his lacklustre efforts for the Rabbitohs.

Not a great look for Latrell Mitchell. Photo: Fox League.

Latrell Mitchell has come under intense scrutiny for his “lazy” performance in South Sydney’s loss to Newcastle on the weekend.

The Knights won 29-10 to claim their seventh win in a row to and carry serious momentum into finals, while the Rabbitohs are floundering in eighth spot and risk missing the top eight after being on the top of the ladder midseason.

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Fullback Kalyn Ponga ran riot down the left edge for Newcastle and the Bunnies didn’t have an answer in defence.

Mitchell has been heavily criticised for several lacklustre defensive efforts where he doesn’t lay a tackle or get near the play as the Knights waltzed over for easy tries.

“Everyone’s sugarcoating it but let’s be honest, the standards have dropped, the discipline is poor,” Braith Anasta said on NRL 360.

“This is the first try. Have a look at this from Latrell Mitchell, your fullback. Doesn’t even run or get into second gear.

“This is the first three tries of the game. This is just little disciplinary errors.”

Anasta also highlighted footage where Mitchell was walking way behind the play while teammate Taane Milne made a break and was looking for support further up the field.

“This is the big one for me,” Anasta said.

“Watch Latrell here. I’m thinking if they make a break here, the fullback should be on the inside. Taane Milne looks to kick and look where the fullback is.

Not a great look for Latrell Mitchell. Photo: Fox League.

“Tell me one other fullback on the field who stands still like that and doesn’t support up the middle of the ruck.”

Journalist Phil Rothfield said: “That’s really damning video. It shows a lazy footballer to me. He’s on over $1 million. He hasn’t played a lot of football.

“When you’re on that sort of money, he’s on more than double of what (Penrith fullback) Dylan Edwards is on. You’ve got to look at Dylan Edwards’ plays and they were total opposite.

“That was a desperation, season defining game yesterday and from that video, he (Mitchell) didn’t really turn up.”

Anasta added: “I’m not putting the full blame on Latrell. He is the leader at that club. He is the leader, he is the barometer.

“It’s not an attack on Latrell. The majority of that team is playing ordinary right now and under performing.”

South Sydney have the bye this week but making matters worse, Mitchell will miss South Sydney’s last game of the season — a must win round 27 clash against the Roosters that could determine which of those two sides make finals.

The fullback was sin binned and handed a one-match suspension for a careless elbow to Newcastle’s Tyson Frizell, and the Rabbitohs reportedly won’t be challenging the ban.

Rothfield described Mitchell’s stray elbow as “a $1500 act of stupidity”.

Mitchell was put in the sin bin for this elbow. Pic: Fox League

It comes amid reports from the SMH that Mitchell and five-eighth Cody Walker are not being held to the same standards as the rest of the team.

“There’s a reason why you are a premier club and you aren’t winning, it’s not a coincidence,” Anasta said.

“There’s a story that just broke that Latrell and Cody are not being held to the same standards as the other players in the team, this is getting louder.

“Discipline comes from standards which comes from training which comes from taking the standards set at training on to the footy field. They are last in errors, second last in completion rates.”

Meanwhile, it’s emerged Souths players weren’t impressed when it emerged coach Jason Demetriou had liked a fan’s comment slamming both Liam Knight and Jacob Host’s performances earlier in the season.

After his side’s loss to the Raiders in Round 13, Demetriou liked a comment which reportedly read: “We had @liam_knight and @hostyyy playing for us tonight. It’s a wonder we didn’t lose by 50 having those clowns pretending to be first graders.”