Latrell Mitchell opens up on South Sydney’s turbulent 2023 NRL season

Latrell Mitchell has delivered an eye-opening interview with the South Sydney star taking aim at one issue that ruined his season.

Latrell Mitchell hits out during eye-opening podcast interview. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)

Latrell Mitchell didn’t hold back as he appeared on Josh Mansour’s Let’s Trot podcast to discuss what turned out to be a season from hell in 2023.

The former South Sydney Rabbitohs teammates sat down for a 40-minute episode on Wednesday where Mitchell opened up on everything.

Watch every match of The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Live with no ad breaks in play on Kayo Sports. Join Kayo now and start streaming instantly >

The star fullback spoke at length about the issues surrounding Souths and their mid-year explosion, the ugly handling of his Origin injury and why he elected to miss the NRL’s night of nights.

South Sydney were embroiled in controversy in the middle of the 2023 season when club legend Sam Burgess was shown the door.

The ugly split came on the back of Burgess reportedly raising concerns that coach Jason Demetriou was giving preferential treatment to Mitchell and Cody Walker.

Mitchell was thrust into the spotlight and copped scathing criticism with Rodney Churchill, the son of Rabbitohs legend Clive Churchill, labelling him a “cancer” on the club.

The 26-year-old said the staggering amount of backlash he receives all boils down to him simply just trying to live his life and be himself.

“You look at the comments section when Latrell Mitchell is involved and it’s like 1500 comments – it’s just a rodeo, my life,” Mitchell told the podcast.

“All I’ve ever done is come out and outline what happens in my community, being a black person, I’m being me and that’s all I’ve ever done.

“All I’ve done is be a proud blackfella and I think that’s why I get crucified most.”

The Rabbitohs star said he’s doing nothing but being himself. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

That moment was just one of many Mitchell had to endure throughout the 2023 season, none however were bigger than a calf injury that all but ruined his season.

The injury, suffered ahead of the State of Origin season opener left him on the sidelines for the Origin series and derailed the second half of his season.

The 26-year-old dropped a bombshell when he said his injury and subsequent recovery wasn’t handled as well as it could have been - although he didn’t point fingers as to who was to blame.

“It was hard for me to come back and find that form again … 10 weeks too long where I wasn’t looked after the way I should’ve been,” Mitchell said.

“It is what it is but I just couldn’t find that tick again.

“‘It’s all right, Latrell’s back we will be all right again, we will win again’ … just the pressure of that got to me a little bit.

“I think we just lost that drive, confidence and connection.”

The Rabbitohs sat atop the NRL standings after 11 rounds before sliding down to ninth and missing out on the finals.

Mitchell struggled to regain his pre-injury form. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)

Eyebrows were raised even higher after Mitchell’s season came to an end when he snubbed attending the NRL’s Dally M Awards.

Mitchell took out the Ken Stephen Medal for community work but was nowhere to be seen on the night.

He revealed his reasoning behind snubbing the night wasn’t done out of spite, he did it purely because the work he’s doing isn’t being done to garner awards and the spotlight.

“I didn’t see the point of getting up and getting an award … that’s not what I do it for, I do it for smiles for the kids,” Mitchell said.

“If I can change a kid’s life one day then that’s my job, that’s my reward.”

The Daily Telegraph has also reported that Latrell did send in his acceptance speech in a video to be played on the night, however it couldn’t be shown due to being in the wrong format.

Throughout the entirety of the 2023 season Mitchell and new Souths teammate Jack Wighton were fighting an ongoing court case.

Latrell Mitchell pictured after doing run throughs at South Sydney Rabbitohs training at Redfern Oval. Picture: Rohan Kelly

The duo were arrested in Canberra during the early hours of February 5 after celebrating Wighton’s 30th birthday.

Mitchell said having the legal battle hanging over his head proved to be a major distraction on him throughout the season.

“It’s a long 10 months … just dragged on there, I knew I was innocent the whole time, and just trying to prove I was a good person … trying to fake being happy for 10 months was pretty hard, so I’m glad it’s over.” Mitchell said

“You know footy was a big thing, trying to perform every day and turn up and knowing that’s still hanging over your head.”

All charges against the duo were dropped in early November when the case against them fell apart after an officer admitted to giving false evidence under oath.