NRL 2021: Latrell Mitchell accepts six-game suspension which put Joseph Manu in hospital

Latrell Mitchell’s season is officially done and dusted, with the South Sydney superstar copping the six-game ban for his horror hit on rival Joey Manu.

Latrell Mitchell will be rubbed out until next season for his high shot on Joey Manu. Picture: Getty

Latrell Mitchell is said to have reached out to his good mate Joey Manu via a text message.

It is understood Latrell wants to meet up with Manu to check on his wellbeing but at this stage Manu has not responded.

This comes as South Sydney prepare to accept the early guilty plea and cop the six match ban for Mitchell’s shocking tackle that left the Sydney Roosters strike centre with a fractured cheekbone.

The race to the 2021 NRL Telstra Finals Series is on and every game matters. Watch Live & Ad-Break Free on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-days free >

Latrell Mitchell will be rubbed out until next season for his high shot on Joey Manu. Picture: Getty

Manu has undergone successful surgery but is unlikely to play again this season.

Mitchell is also out for the remainder of the Rabbitohs’ campaign due to the suspension.

Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett is expected to play youngster Blake Taaffe at fullback for the final round match against St George Illawarra on Saturday.

There was a thought Bennett might opt to shift Alex Johnston from the wing but that won’t happen.

Mitchell and Manu are very close mates from their days together at the Roosters and the Rabbitohs star is said to be deeply remorseful for the tackle that went horribly wrong.

Souths insiders are adamant Mitchell did not set out to intentionally injure Manu but the club have chosen not to make any public comment at this point.

Souths star headed for unwanted suspension record

By David Riccio

Latrell Mitchell’s season is over - and the South Sydney star’s burgeoning career is under pressure of being tainted by becoming one of the most-charged players in the NRL.

In a devastating blow for the Rabbitohs premiership claims, Mitchell will miss at least six weeks on the sidelines for his high shot that fractured the cheekbone and ended the year of Roosters centre Joey Manu on Friday night.

With five weeks remaining until the NRL grand final, Mitchell is poised to accept his season-ending grade two high tackle reckless penalty instead of fighting the charge at the judiciary, at the risk of a nine-match suspension.

In a worrying trend for Mitchell, 24, an early guilty plea would mark his ninth guilty charge since 2018 - the second-most guilty acts of foul play across the entire NRL.

Joseph Manu is undergoing emergency surgery at a Brisbane hospital on Saturday to repair the depressed fractured cheekbone.

Mitchell’s sickening hit was the tipping point for a dramatic aftermath to an explosive local derby with The Sunday Telegraph also able to reveal:

* Trent Robinson is facing a hefty five-figure fine with NRL CEO Andrew Abdo of the belief the Roosters coach “attacked” match officials with his post-match comments

* Roosters chairman Nick Politis has hit back at the anticipated fine by stating: “It’s hard when you can’t speak the truth, there’s something wrong with the system.’’

* Bunker review official Henry Perenara has been stood down after NRL head of football Graham Annesley admitted Mitchell should’ve been sent-off for his reckless hit on Manu

* Manu has undergone emergency surgery in a Brisbane hospital with an emotional Robinson remaining by the young Kiwi’s bedside until 3am on Saturday morning.

Despite the NRL conceding that the match officials were wrong not to give Mitchell his marching orders, Robinson is in the governing body’s sights.

Trent Robinson took umbrage with the NRL’s bunker and its officials. Picture: NRL Photos

The NRL are preparing to penalise Robinson, particularly for the premiership-winning coach’s decision to single out referee Ashley Klein and Perenara.

The NRL are also unhappy with Robinson’s inference that the Roosters are targeted by match officials.

“I understand how emotive everyone gets and frustrations, however we have to be professionals,” Abdo told ABC radio.

“I don’t think it’s appropriate to cast opinions on people’s integrity or character in a professional sport.

“You can disagree with decisions, you can’t attack people’s integrity.

“There is a big difference between having a view on a decision or incident and questioning the integrity of individuals.

“He (Perenara) is under huge pressure. It won’t be fair to him to officiate the way he has been attacked.”

Robinson has a $10,000 suspended fine hanging over his head from comments he made after the Roosters loss to Parramatta in May this year.

Latrell Mitchell was sin-binned for his shot on Joey Manu.

“Get out of there (the bunker),” Robinson said about Perenara on Friday night.

“If you can’t do it, get out of there, or just get rid of it all completely.

“If you cannot do the job, get out of there.
“It’s shown that the NRL bunker cannot do their job this year. It’s been a farce, it’s been an absolute farce.
“To see Joey Manu get up and have to stick up for himself... that should have been stopped 10 seconds after the incident.
“It’s that bad, it’s actually funny.
“Henry Perenara is sitting in the bunker, didn’t stop play, didn’t do anything about it, then Ashley (Klein) asked them to play on and the players went at it again.
“And then he just missed it completely... Perenara who’s supposed to know some footy, sitting up in the box, and then doesn’t do anything about it for 30 or 40 or 50 seconds, doesn’t do a thing about it.

“The guy is off at the hospital... they get forced into finally making a call on it and then they send (Mitchell) for 10 in the bin. Ten in the bin? It was laughable, it was that bad it was almost laughable.
“And then we’ve got (Sio) Siua Taukeiaho... everybody knows that’s a hip drop... and now he’s got a knee injury over it. And a guy sitting in the bunker says that’s just on report.
“It’s really common, it’s been really frustrating this year.
“We had the head high on Teddy (James Tedesco) in the Anzac Day game, then we had the knees and the bunker farce in the Parramatta game, and then the game changed. The game changed overnight.
“All of a sudden head high... we were going to protect our players.
“Then we get a high shot on Sam Walker against Melbourne, no one does anything about it. Bunker doesn’t do anything, on-field referees don’t do anything about it.
“And then they say actually we’ll change the rules, it’s like a late hit on a halfback... so a rule gets changed again.
“We’re the most penalised team in the comp and we’re the most targeted.”

Annesley admitted the match officials decision to sin bin Mitchell for 10-minutes was wrong.

“Based on what happened, in our view, the bunker took the wrong option of the sin bin and it should’ve resulted in a dismissal,’’ Annesley told 2GB.

“It was less than what we expected.”

MITCHELL ON REPORT AS RABBITOHS ROLL ROOSTERS

By Joel Gould

The Rabbitohs premiership hopes have taken a massive blow with fullback Latrell Mitchell on report for a high shot on Joey Manu in what turned into another heated and spiteful contest between league’s oldest and fiercest rivals.

It was confirmed Manu had suffered a depressed fracture of the cheekbone in the incident that overshadowed the Rabbitohs thumping 54-12 win over the Roosters. Mitchell was sin-binned and put on report for a dangerous tackle against his former club in the 57th minute. Given the heavy contact of the hit on Manu and his history at the judiciary this year, where he was earlier suspended for four weeks on a grade two dangerous contact charge, Mitchell is facing an extended stint on the sidelines. If Souths are to win the comp they may have to do it without him.

The race to the 2021 NRL Telstra Finals Series is on and every game matters. Watch Live & Ad-Break Free on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-days free >

Latrell Mitchell is in hot water over this ugly shot on Joey Manu.

Roosters coach Trent Robinson said the performance of the match officials was “laughable”.

“It took Joey to stand up and stick up for himself with a depressed fracture of the cheekbone and they still didn’t want to do anything about it. Henry Perenara in the bunker didn’t stop play. Ashley (Klein) asked them to play on and then the players went at it again. Then they missed it again,” Robinson fumed.

“Perenara is up in the box doesn’t do a thing about it for 30, 40, 50 seconds. It is a common theme this year about the NRL and bunker not looking after our players. The guy is off in hospital and they send him for 10 in the bin, 10 in the bin.

It was laughable, it was that bad it was almost laughable.

“They didn’t know what they were doing. How do you send that for 10 in the bin? A guy will finish his year based on a late shot to the head, and it’s 10 in the bin? In which game?

“You cannot make decisions if that’s your decision.”

The Roosters injury curse has continued, with Joseph Manu suffering a suspected broken cheekbone. Picture: Getty Images.

Robinson then took direct aim at Perenara and his fellow bunker officials.

“Get out of there (the bunker),” he said.

“If you can’t do it get out of there, or just get rid of it all completely. If you cannot do the job, get out of there.

“It’s shown that the NRL bunker cannot do their job this year. It’s been a farce, it’s been an absolute farce.

“To see Joey Manu get up and have to stick up for himself … that should have been stopped 10 seconds after the incident. It’s that bad it’s actually funny.

“What are they doing up there? I don’t know what they’re doing up there.

“I’ve got this thing, like that circus music going on in the background, and streamers and stuff, there must be something going on (in the bunker) when a Roosters player gets hit high in 2021, there must be something that distracts them.

“It’s like the Twilight Zone up there when a Roosters player gets hit high.”

Robinson said he loved Mitchell and that he played on the edge, but said he needed to get the rubbish out of his game after “costing one of his good mates the rest of the season”.

Wayne Bennett fired back.

“Trent has got a couple of those players himself that he coaches so I don’t know what he is looking over the fence at us for. We will handle our own situation,” Bennett said.

“No-one likes to see what happened out there tonight... but I’m sure they get to write another chapter in the book of feuds between the Roosters and South Sydney. I’m sure Russell (Crowe) will enjoy that part of it.

“The judiciary is probably going to rest a few for me but it is my intention to give a few a rest (next week) if I can.”

The NRL cannot allow Latrell Mitchell to play again this year. It was both reckless and deliberate. Can’t believe he got only 10 minutes. It’s a disgrace.

— BUZZ ROTHFIELD (@BuzzRothfield) August 27, 2021

The person in the bunker and the referee need to be stood down for as long as Latrell is suspended. Steve Chiddy, who missed the Kaufusi hit on Matterson, was stood down for a month. The same should happen.

— BUZZ ROTHFIELD (@BuzzRothfield) August 27, 2021

The win was also soured by an injury scare to star Souths half Adam Reynolds.

Reynolds slipped and dug into the Suncorp Stadium turf in the first half and appeared to hyper-extend his knee. He played on but made his way up the tunnel in the 34th minute before returning to the field to help his side secure victory.

The Roosters were always up against it, missing more than $6.3 million worth of their top 30 salary cap with 14 players unavailable due to retirement or injury.

Jaydn Su’A, Mark Nicholls, Thomas Burgess, Tevita Tatola, Jai Arrow and Cameron Murray were on fire up front in the first half and mauled the Roosters, while Mitchell at the back was scintillating as Souths fired a warning shot to the entire competition that they are more than just a razzle dazzle outfit.

Tensions boiled over, with Dane Gagai and Sitili Tupouniua sin-binned.

The Rabbitohs scored from their first left-side raid with Alex Johnston, who notched a hat-trick, crossing for his 25th try of the season.

Murray’s brilliant ball skills put Mark Nicholls under the sticks and the warrior prop had his second when Damien Cook fired out a superb pass from dummy-half.

The Roosters trailed 24-6 at halftime and did not turn it up, but Souths put the foot down to run away with it. When Mitchell returned from the bin tempers flared to fever pitch with a melee erupting with minutes to go. Sitili Tupouniua and Dane Gagai were both sin-binned.

Rabbitohs bench forward Liam Knight was put on report for a hip-drop tackle on Roosters prop Sio Siua Taukeiaho which had Roosters coach Trent Robinson on his feet and angry on the bench.

Latrell Mitchell also came under fire after throwing the ball down after scoring a try. Picture: Getty Images.

MITCHELL MAYHEM

Mitchell had the look in his eye of a man on a mission against his former club and delivered genius and what could be the costliest of brain snaps.

He set up and scored his first ever try against the Roosters to showcase his hunger. This was Mitchell at the peak of his powers. He made every injection count, before putting his season on the line with the hit on Manu. When he returned to the park he was still fired up and that lit a fuse that went through every player on both sides, and those on the bench.

If Souths are to win the competition in 2021 they may need to do it without Latrell Mitchell if he is suspended. Picture: Getty Images.

BRAVE ROOSTERS

The Roosters are still in fourth but have Manly breathing down their necks. If the Sea Eagles can beat the Bulldogs and Cowboys then Trent Robinson’s men will be playing sudden death finals.

Forward leader Jared Waerea-Hargreaves will be back but the Roosters have not beaten a team above them on the ladder this year. Their courage has been enormous but they are now down to the bare bones of a squad that was already decimated. They can’t take a trick right now and also lost bench forward Ben Thomas to concussion.

Originally published as NRL 2021: Latrell Mitchell accepts six-game suspension which put Joseph Manu in hospital