‘Never spoken about it’: Latrell reveals all after Roosters split

Latrell Mitchell has for the first time revealed the personal drama behind the scenes involved in his famous move to South Sydney.

Latrell Mitchell in a shoot with Fox League for Indigenous Round.

Latrell Mitchell is the happiest he’s ever been.

He’s achieved just about everything on the field and away from it he’s a proud father that takes joy in giving back to his family.

After all, if it wasn’t for their support and sacrifices he wouldn’t be the NRL superstar that he is today.

That’s something Mitchell will never forget.

To celebrate Indigenous Round, the South Sydney star joined the Fox League Podcast to reflect on his incredible career to date.

From when he was a “kamikaze kid” running around for the Taree Red Rovers, to sleeping on the floor as a teenager and being overlooked by clubs, working on reception for the Roosters as a 17-year-old and the “massive” decision he made to join the Rabbitohs.

Looking back at how far he’s come gave Mitchell “goosebumps” but he admitted the young kid milking cows in Taree would “admire the man he is today.”

“Latrell Mitchell would be my idol 100 per cent,” he smiled.

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INDIGENOUS ROUND

This week is Indigenous Round — an initiative that seeks to educate and celebrate the Indigenous culture with fans and the wider public.

The NRL is calling on fans to learn the land, learn the history and use their voice.

One of the most powerful voices for Indigenous Australians in sport is Mitchell, who is a Biripi and Wiradjuri man.

So what does this round mean to him?

“It’s about representing my family and being proud of who I am and having that whole week letting us express who we are,” Mitchell told the Fox League Podcast.

“For me it’s not just a week, it’s about 365 days of the year and being proud of who I am and spreading a strong message across. This week is definitely one of those things that we can move forward and continue to grow.

“It’s very special to me and the way I get to represent my family, I really love the aspect of it and having our jerseys all designed about who we are as a team and the area we represent.”

The Rabbitohs will wear their Indigenous jersey for Friday’s clash with the Eels. The theme of the jersey is ‘For Our Elders’.

”The players are the people that drive it the most,” Mitchell said when asked about the jersey which has been in the works since October.

“...That’s how much South Sydney buy in and how much it means for us,” he added on the seven-month preparation.

UNDERSTANDING THE POWER HE HAS

At just 25-years old Mitchell is one of the most recognisable faces in Australian sport — and has been for quite a few years.

He’s considered by many a polarising figure, but one thing everyone can agree on is that he’s a brilliant ambassador for the Aboriginal community.

Mitchell is a vocal leader for Indigenous Australians and that’s something he says he’s never really had a choice on.

Latrell Mitchell in a shoot with Fox League for Indigenous Round.

“It started when I first came in,” Mitchell said when asked about his realisation that he can have such a big impact.

“I had no choice as responsibility as an Aboriginal man and taking that next step up not only just for rugby league but also your every day society. Being in the spotlight and having a platform is something you’re chucked straight into — you have no obligation to say no.

“I’m always for who I am and my culture, moving forward and mending a relationship where there is obviously a divide. But it’s getting better, there’s communication, there’s conversations being had.

“For me I guess coming into my prime I’m starting to focus on how I express myself and how I present myself, who I am and staying true to me.

“The off-field stuff helps with the on-field and you can obviously see what’s been going on the last few weeks with my footy — it’s because I’m happy and things are going good just being who I am as a person, as a man and as a father.”

RACISM INCIDENT

At half time of the Rabbitohs’ Round 2 clash with the Panthers, Mitchell was victim to unacceptable racial abuse from a young spectator wearing a Roosters jersey.

The teenager was issued with a warning from NSW Police, while the NRL imposed a ban until “sufficient steps have been taken to address their behaviour.”

Those steps include “apologising and completing appropriate training and education in respectful behaviour and cultural awareness.”

Mitchell didn’t reveal whether the spectator had ticked off that first step but urged him to educate himself and his family because racism “does start at home.”

Mitchell also supports the idea of life bans.

“It’s none of my business. At the end of the day whatever comes out of their mouth it’s their problem,” he said.

“It hurts obviously. It hurts my people, my community, my culture and it opens up scars.

“But it’s about us moving forward, for him understanding and taking that accountability. If you want to say it, then you’ve got to be accountable.

“I feel like life bans should be put in place for anyone in any sport.

“This young fella, it was disappointing because I know that he’s still learning. I just want to let him know to do your part bud and listen and educate yourself, maybe you father and your mother too. It does start at home, it’s taught — you’re not born a racist.”

Mitchell played 96 games for the Roosters and won two premierships. It wasn’t lost on him that the spectator was wearing that jersey.

“For him to wear a Roosters jersey it was pretty disappointing — especially for what I’ve been able to achieve at that club,” he said.

“But I’ll say openly, big ups to (Roosters coach) Trent Robinson for messaging me. He was disappointed in that fan for having a Roosters jersey on because that’s not what the club’s about.

“I admire that because me and Trent got on really well back when I used to play.”

THE COACHES THAT JUST GET IT

And speaking of coaches, there’s two that have had a big impact on Mitchell.

Wayne Bennett lured him to the Rabbitohs and made it feel like home. Now Jason Demetriou is continuing with that.

“He just loves it, he just embraces it,” Mitchell said when asked about Demetriou buying into the Aboriginal culture.

“He has a Greek background so tends to understand his mob would’ve come here and the racism that they would’ve went through definitely hits home.

“Being at a strong foundation club like the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the Aboriginal community, it’s just powerful. He embraces it every day, he comes to us on anything we want to put forward to make sure as a club we’re on the same page.”

Then there’s Bennett — the ultimate man manager. And the “example to follow” for non-Indigenous people.

“I had a great relationship with Wayne,” Mitchell said.

Latrell Mitchell with Wayne Bennett.

“For a 70-odd-year-old man and 900 games you tend to think they’d be stuck in their ways being an old Australian man. But I tell you what, he’s been able to change and he’s opened my eyes up on the way he’s taken on board information.

“I really admire him as a man and as a coach. He’s just really special.

“I think for anyone (that’s looking) for an example to follow if you’re non-Indigenous to be able to understand or want to learn it’s Wayne Bennett.

“For a 70-year-old man to change his ways and understand us as Aboriginal men, he’s got to get the best out of us. How does he do that? He digs deeper to understand and that’s why people want to play for him. That’s why I wanted to play for him and it’s the same thing with Jason Demetriou.

“I can’t fault the man (Bennett), he’s just a special kind of human. You wonder why people want to stick around and follow him like puppies because he is who he is.”

YOUNG TRELL

Before he was a premiership-winning, representative player, Mitchell was a Taree kid just having a bit of fun on the footy field.

He played for the Taree Red Rovers, where he won a couple of premierships with his brothers.

His company, Winmarra Clothing, now sponsors some of the Red Rovers teams.

“I was sort of a kamikaze kid when I was out there. I’d do anything to have fun — that’s sort of the only way you could get by in Taree to create your own fun,” he said.

“It’s really enjoyable to know where I’ve come from but held on strong to my ties and not forget where I was or who I was. I hold onto that truly to this day.

“I’m grateful enough to buy myself land there and put my mum and dad there to run a business and cattle — that’s something I’ve always been passionate about since a young fella.

“The dream is coming true and rugby league has been the vehicle for that.”

“They all know I’ve never forgotten who they are and where I come from. That’s the proudest thing and what keeps me strong as an Aboriginal man — my connection to culture.

“I love Taree, I miss it but I’ve just got to do what I’ve got to do for the next 10 years or so and who knows I could move back there watching cows grow — that’s my goal.”

JOURNEY TO STARDOM WITH THE ROOSTERS

Mitchell had a pretty rapid rise in the Roosters’ ranks. But before he landed at the glamour club he was sleeping on a floor in Woy Woy while playing with the Central Coast Centurions.

“I didn’t take it (footy) too serious when I was 15 but my dad gave me a kick up the backside and said ‘you either do something here’ — and there wasn’t much going on for me there... I gave myself any opportunity to get out of Taree and make something of myself,” he recalled.

“I milked cows for probably a year and then said ‘nah, I can’t do this anymore.’ I turned 16 and headed for Woy Woy, I started with the Central Coast Centurions.

“They gave me my first crack because Newcastle didn’t want me, the Bulldogs didn’t want me when I was a young fella — they said I’d never make it so you can only imagine the fuel that adds on top. Any time I play them now I like to stick it up them.”

He wasn’t lying. Mitchell scored a hat-trick against the Bulldogs earlier this season in what was his 150th NRL game.

He also had a cheeky crack at Noel ‘Crusher’ Cleal for being the one to overlook him.

“It wasn’t easy for me, I had to sleep on a floor for 12 months to be able to make Harold Matthews — my first rep side ever,” Mitchell revealed.

“It was hard, I was only just turning 16. I thank my uncle for that because he had to kick one of his kids out of their room so me and my brother could share.”

That’s why his uncle is one of his best mates, whom he “loves to death.”

Someone else he loves to death is his dad, Matt Mitchell.

“My dad is a special man. Any man that’s had an opportunity to recreate their life, turn it around and be a role model for their kids — that’s a man to me,” he said.

Matt was the first and only member of his family to finish high school, so it was Latrell’s first big goal to tick that off too.

Matt went on to be an Aboriginal education officer for 17 years at Chatham High in Taree. Now he works for his superstar son.

But don’t forget about mum, Patricia Goolagong.

“My mum’s our rock — she goes to war for us,” he said.

So how did Mitchell end up at the Roosters?

“I played the Roosters at Henson Park and scored three (tries) and got a phone call the next week,” he said.

“But I was on a plane up to Brisbane — me and my brother went up there to see what they were like. I couldn’t fault them for what they put on for us but it was too far away.”

Mitchell and his older brother Shaquai won the 2014 SG Ball premiership alongside the likes of Joseph Manu and Paul Momirovski. They beat a Penrith side that had Nathan Cleary in the halves.

During that time he lived in a house with Manu among other young Roosters players. He still keeps in touch with the house parents — Carm and Spenc — who have left their mark on him.

He made his NRL debut two years later as an 18-year-old ironically against the Rabbitohs and around the same time moved to Seven Hills to live with his aunty and nan, where he shared a bad with his cousin.

If you rang Roosters headquarters circa 2015 there’s a good chance you actually spoke to a teenage Mitchell, who was doing some administration work.

“I started doing reception at the Roosters. I was the mail boy and used to run up and down the street — I didn’t know how to post a letter until then. I took phone calls... You look back on those things and be grateful for the opportunities you have,” he said.

“I’m very grateful for the Roosters even though they’re an enemy now.

“I’ve had the satisfaction of being on both sides... Won comps and no one can take that away from me.

“I don’t care what they say, I know they miss me but at the end of the day we do what we’ve got to do in this game.”

LEAVING FOR THE ‘ENEMY’

In November, 2019, the Roosters pulled a two-year offer for Mitchell that was rumoured to be worth $800,000 a year.

Two months later the club granted him an immediate release from the final year of his contract to join the Rabbitohs.

At the time there were reports claiming he baulked at the offer, but an honest Mitchell opened up for the first time on how player agents had a role in his relationship with the Roosters turning “sour.”

“(It was a) massive decision,” he said.

“I’ve never really spoken about it to be honest...

“It was a really weird situation with managers, I went through two managers to be able to be where I am and take my lessons from that.

“I wasn’t treated very well but at the end of the day I had to get on with my life and keep going.

“We have hurdles and they were two hurdles I had to get over. It sort of made that relationship between the Roosters and I sour because of the communication barrier between manager and club.

Latrell Mitchell during his time with the Roosters.

“But at the end of the day I’ve had to move on. If I had my time over I definitely would’ve done it different, but I’m where I’m meant to be.

“Wayne gave me a call straight away. It was a hard time for me because I had nearly 15 weeks off trying to get myself back to playing.

“I went through a lot of dark spots, but luckily I had my family to fall back on. That’s why I continue to do what I do... Every time I tie my boots up it’s for my family.

“When you’re young you don’t understand the process and that (managers) work for you.

“I have no animosity towards anyone, I’ve moved on with my life... But anyone that’s going through a situation just know you have to do what’s right for you.”

HOME AND BEING THE HAPPIEST HE’S EVER BEEN

Mitchell is four years into his Rabbitohs chapter and has another four to go after inking an extension in December.

He’ll be 29-years old by the time that contract ends and will hopefully still have a few more years left in him.

Those years will be at the Rabbitohs too.

“I’m home, I’m not going anywhere, I want to finish my career there... With four comps,” Mitchell laughed.

But genuinely, when asked what he wants to achieve next he said more premierships.

Four or five is the goal.

He’s been in electric form over the last month and he puts that down to “what I have and who I have in my corner.”

Asked if he’s the happiest he’s ever been he said: “100 per cent, there’s no fault in that.

“I’m very happy, I just want to stay where I’m at, not get content with myself — I like striving for more and being better.”

And finally, what would the young Mitchell that was running around for the Red Rovers think of the man he’s become today.

“I get goosebumps thinking about it,” he said.

“I’d admire the man he is today — but I thank that to my dad and mum.

“Latrell Mitchell would be my idol 100 per cent. The way I looked up to Greg Inglis, Johnathan Thurston and Matt Bowen.

“I’d be proud of the man — rugby league aside — the man, the father. It takes a lot to be a dad.”

Originally published as ‘Never spoken about it’: Latrell reveals all after Roosters split