South Sydney are ready to furnish the NRL with ideas to overhaul the judiciary

South Sydney will conduct their own review of the judiciary process and share it with the NRL as they look to improve the system in the wake of Latrell Mitchell’s four-game ban.

South Sydney fullback Latrell Mitchell copped a four-week ban. Picture: Toby Zerna

South Sydney are expected to push for judiciary chair Geoff Bellew to be given greater say in punishments handed down to players as they prepare to furnish the NRL with their own ideas in the wake of the controversial decision to suspend fullback Latrell Mitchell for a month.

Rabbitohs chief executive Blake Solly confirmed the club planned to put together a list of suggestions, which they then planned to share with the NRL as part of a wider review being conducted into the match review and judicial process.

It is believed one of the recommendations will be that rather than simply presiding over proceedings, Bellew is one of the officials who sits in judgment on players who front the judiciary. Under the current system, the ultimate decision on guilt or innocence rests with three former players.

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The Rabbitohs have been scathing in recent days of the decision to suspend Mitchell for four matches over his high shot on Wests Tigers winger David Nofoaluma last weekend, citing what they believe are failures within the existing system.

ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys and NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo are scheduled to speak to Souths officials next week as part of their club visits and the handling of Mitchell’s judiciary case is expected to receive an airing.

“We want to hear from Peter and Andrew next week,” Solly said.

“Then we will give (our ideas) further thought. We are putting together our thoughts into a rational, comprehensive suggestion list.

“We want to be constructive. The easiest thing in the world is to say it needs to be reviewed. The harder thing is to provide some suggestions or offering for it and we will.

“We want it to be considered. The NRL has every right to screw it up and throw it in the bin but we would like to think they would at least take it on board when they do whatever review they are going to do.

“We just have some ideas on how it can be better.”

It is understood Rabbitohs officials will take input from coach Wayne Bennett and lawyer Nick Ghabar as part of their due diligence. In the meantime, they must learn to live without Mitchell, who was charged with three offences by the match review committee after the Tigers game.

Two of those incurred fines, including one for sliding in with the knees on Tigers backrower Luke Garner. Souths were particularly miffed with that offence given there were similar actions over the weekend that failed to incur any charges, the most notable when Newcastle forward Mitchell Barnett slid in on Cronulla’s Briton Nikora.

NRL head of football Graham Annesley could sympathise with their concerns on that front.

“The Latrell Mitchell suspension was only four weeks because of his two previous convictions in the past two years, which meant it incurred 40 per cent loading,” Annesley said.

“Without the loading an early plea would have resulted in just a two-match suspension. In relation to suggestions of inconsistency, yes there was another incident last week in a game that was similar to one of Latrell’s charges that wasn’t charged.

“I have already conceded to the Rabbitohs that in my view that should have been a charge. That is a miss by the match review panel.

“That is disappointing, but we can’t get individual incidents confused with whether the system is flawed or not. Individuals make decisions and sometimes their judgment is debatable, but it doesn’t necessarily mean there is anything wrong with the system.

“Overall the match review committee does a very difficult job very well, but of course we will conduct a review at the end of the season as we always do including input from clubs.”

While Mitchell’s absence is a blow to Souths, it also leaves him facing an uphill battle to regain his NSW jersey. Mitchell had the inside running to one of the centre spots and revealed he had spoken to Blues coach Brad Fittler in recent days.

“I’ve been speaking to Freddy (Fittler) the last couple of days, he’s been ringing me, it’s surprising, but in a good way,” Mitchell told NITV’s Over The Black Dot program 

“I’m always going to be ready for Origin. I’ve got a taste for Origin now and I know what the game brings. I love being on the big stage and doing what I do best.”