NRL deems that All Stars fixture can count towards suspensions of Latrell Mitchell and Josh Addo-Carr
Latrell Mitchell and Josh Addo-Carr have scored major victories after the NRL deemed the All Stars fixture can count towards the suspensions of the star duo.
South Sydney has scored a major victory, with Latrell Mitchell available for the opening round of the season against the Dolphins after the NRL decided the star fullback can use the upcoming All Stars fixture as his one-game suspension.
Mitchell copped a one-match ban for bringing the game into disrepute after the publication of a photo of him standing over a white substance in a Dubbo hotel room last year.
The 27-year-old was also fined $20,000 and ordered to undergo remediation and education training conducted by the NRL.
The Rabbitohs made a formal request to the governing body that the All Stars fixture count towards the one-match suspension, due to Mitchell’s consistent selection in the annual pre-season match.
With appearances in 2017, 2019, 2023 and 2024, Mitchell was also chosen as the Indigenous All Stars captain last year.
In a further development, the NRL has also allowed Eels recruit Josh Addo-Carr, who scored two tries for the Indigenous All Stars against the Maori All Stars last year, to use the game as part of his ban.
The All Stars match will count towards his four-game game punishment for returning a positive result to cocaine at a roadside police drugs test in September. Addo-Carr has already missed one game, at the end of last season with the Bulldogs, meaning he will miss the opening two rounds of the Eels’ season.
The attacking duo were able to use examples of previous off-field incidents where players, such as Brandon Smith and Reece Walsh, used the All Stars clash as part of a ban.
Mitchell’s availability for the Rabbitohs’ season launch against the Dolphins will be billed as Wayne Bennett’s first clash against his former club.
But in reality, the entire rugby league world will be eagerly anticipating the return of Mitchell, who has made no secret of his desire to rebound after his career was at a crossroads last season.
“Latrell’s challenges towards the back end of last season were pretty public,” Rabbitohs boss Blake Solly told SEN this week. “He’s taken that as almost the wake-up call that he needed to focus on his family and his own fitness and make sure he started the pre-season in the best possible shape.
“For him now, it’s about preparing himself for his first game.”
The NRL’s decision couples as a marketer’s dream, with Addo-Carr now available to make his club debut with Parramatta in round 3 on a Sunday afternoon at CommBank Stadium against the club that sacked him – Canterbury.
Addo-Carr signed a two-year deal with the Eels in the wake of his exit from the Dogs following the off-field incident, which unfolded ahead of Canterbury’s first finals appearance since 2016.
The 29-year-old has vowed to repay the faith of rookie Parramatta coach Jason Ryles, who has backed Addo-Carr to deliver for an Eels side aiming to rebound from a disappointing 2024 season.
Traditional Sydney rivals, Addo-Carr’s availability for the round three clash will only enhance the possibility of a sellout at CommBank Stadium.
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