Latrell Mitchell cannot recall being happier, fitter, or feeling more loved by local fans, admitting he was relishing his new role as captain of the Indigenous All Stars.
In fact, about the only thing that has not gone right for Mitchell this week was learning he had dropped to No. 65 in an online poll of rugby league’s 100 hottest players.
“I used to be in the top 10 when I was 18 ... that’s been the only thing that’s disappointed me this week,” Mitchell joked. “I guess dad bods are no longer in fashion.”
For the record, Herbie Farnworth took out top spot in the fan poll, run by The NRL Roast. But Mitchell was happy for the new Dolphins centre to take the spotlight, given everything else in his life is going right.
“Everything has fallen into place at the right time,” Mitchell said. “And it’s the right time for me at the moment. I went through the wars last year, but I held strong.
“Whenever you’re going through those dark times, or when things aren’t going your way, if you come out the other side, you see a lot more light. If I stay positive, I know I’ll be getting loads of that light.”
Latrell Mitchell addresses his players during the Indigenous All Stars captain’s run on Thursday.Credit: NRL Photos
Twelve months ago, Mitchell was in the headlines for the wrong reasons after his late-night rumble with Jack Wighton.
Things did not improve throughout the year as he was racially abused by a young fan at Penrith, a two-week calf injury turned into ten weeks on the sideline, then came headlines he received preferential treatment at South Sydney.
When it came to finding a captaincy replacement for Cody Walker, Indigenous coach Ronnie Griffiths considered Mitchell and Nicho Hynes before opting for the former – and Mitchell said it meant the world to him.
The only time he had captained a team was for South Sydney against Newcastle in 2022, a game the Rabbitohs won.
“I thank Ronnie for allowing me to lead because I try to do just that 365 days a year,” Mitchell said.
Griffiths said Mitchell’s happy demeanour had been hard to miss in camp this week. “This is my fifth All Stars camp, and the growth with Latrell has been exponential,” Griffiths said.
“Twelve months ago it was touch and go whether he would even come away with us [to Rotorua]. We brought him into that camp, and midway through it he said it was the best thing for him, and exactly what he needed.
“You don’t always have to talk as a leader, but when the time is right, you need to interject, and you need to impose yourself on the room, and he’s done that really well this camp.
“There were some key moments when we were sitting around talking, and he took control of the conversation, and you only have to watch people gravitate towards him. We wanted our leader to encompass all of that.
“When we were sharing our stories the other night, Latrell just said he’s ‘content’. If you’re content in life, everything else flows for you.”
There were concerns about the involvement of some of the players in this year’s All Stars game, to be played in furnace-like humidity in Townsville, because of the inaugural double-header in Las Vegas. Mitchell will be one of the players on a plane to Las Vegas early next week, as will his brother Shaquai, and Maori hooker Brandon Smith.
But Mitchell was prepared to play the entire game if required. “I’m fit as, bruz, and I’ll play 110 minutes if I have to,” he said.
The All Stars will feature another star-studded backline, including Josh Addo-Carr and Townsville favourite Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow.
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