Latrell Mitchell’s 71-year first in Good Friday massacre of Bulldogs

South Sydney’s Latrell Mitchell was at his ruthless best in an utter demolition of the Bulldogs that turned the clock back to the 1950s.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA – APRIL 02: Latrell Mitchell of the Rabbitohs celebrates scoring a try with Cody Walker of the Rabbitohs and teammates during the round five NRL match between Canterbury Bulldogs and North Queensland Cowboys at Accor Stadium on April 02, 2023 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

The South Sydney Rabbitohs have showed an injury-hit Canterbury Bulldogs no mercy in a brutal 40-16 thrashing on Good Friday.

It’s the first time the Rabbitohs have put 50 points on the Bulldogs since 1953, when Souths won 51-15

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The Rabbitohs were at their ruthless best with Latrell Mitchell scoring three tries, six conversions and penalty goal in a 26-point personal haul.

Only twice in the Rabbitohs’ history has a player scored more and both times it was Johnny Graves against Eastern Suburbs.

In Round 14 of 1949, Graves scored five tries and six goals for 27 points in 48-6 belting of the Roosters. But three years later he did even better, setting a club record that still stands today at 29 points, off three tries and 10 goals in a 50-0 belting in round 8 of 1952.

While Mitchell himself tallied 24 points in a match in the round 21, 2022 clash against the New Zealand Warriors — which was equal third all-time for the Rabbitohs.

It also equalled his all-time best, a 26-point haul for the Roosters against the Tigers in 2019.

“He’s had one hell of an afternoon, Latrell Mitchell,” Cooper Cronk said on Fox League.

“He’s tearing the Bulldogs apart. And when Latrell Mitchell is smiling and playing like this, it’s great for South Sydney and scary for everyone else.”

Latrell was on fire. Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

It could have been a record afternoon for Mitchell, as he missed three sideline conversions including one which bounced off the crossbar.

Outside of his pointscoring feat, his 150th match will be one for the memory bank after he ran a game high 188m from 15 runs, and had two try assists and a line break assist.

I know the Dogs are undermanned, but Latrell is just toying with them. He’s pulling off training pitch stuff at game level speed.

— Dan Amosa (@AmosaDan) April 7, 2023

Post-match, Mitchell said simply it was “pretty special”.

“I just did my job, that’s all,” he said on Fox League. “Take it simple, there for the team. Humble in our wins, humble in our defeats. It was special. The boys went out and played their hearts out and that’s what the South Sydney Rabbitohs do.”

Asked about the record Mitchell almost set, he said he didn’t know it was on the line.

“There you go,” he said. “I didn't really know to be honest. I don’t keep stats while I’m playing footy.”

The Bulldogs opened the scoring as Jake Averillo streaked away from a long range try in the third minute.

It was then all one way traffic as the Rabbitohs scored three tries in the 10 minutes just before the halftime break.

It was just a bloodbath. Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Matt Burton scored two more for the Bulldogs but between his 54th minute and 72nd minute tries, the Rabbitohs scored five of their own.

The Bulldogs were without a host of forwards including Viliame Kikau, Tevita Pangai Jr Junior, Luke Thompson and Raymond Faitala-Mariner to name a few, and lost winger Josh Addo-Carr to a reported syndesmosis injury early in the first half.

But while coach Cameron Ciraldo said he hadn’t seen an injury toll like this before, he refused to blame the loss on the casualty ward.

Originally published as Latrell Mitchell’s 71-year first in Good Friday massacre of Bulldogs