Lattrell Mitchell

[ism22]

I'd like to know why everyone rates him so highly? I've been watching him and I have to say he's not that impressive and what's with the Inglis description, he's nothing like Inglis. I'd love to see him develop into a star but at this stage I can't see the potential.

All indigenous players are like Greg Inglis... right? :P

[Half time]

Elite backline players like Hayne, Inglis, etc were dominating first grade at 18. Same with any other elite backline player you care to mention of the past 20 years. They still had to play another 4-5 years before really hitting their straps of course but from their debut seasons as teenagers they were forces to be reckoned with.

The fact Mitchell is still ****ing around in an age restricted comp at his age already rules him out of the elite class. He could well turn out to be a very good player, but anyone expecting him to be our Inglis or Hayne are frankly setting the poor kid up for failure.

There is a long list of "next Inglis/SBW" 16 year olds who wind up barely seeing first grade. Ryan WIlliamson is the perfect example of a kid with an unbelievable highlight reel against children who was destroyed the moment he had to play against men.

It's a complete fabrication to say that GI and Hodges were dominating first grade at 18. It took them several years in first grade before they started dominating. Maybe you have a different definition of dominating.

[ism22]

I had a mate play 20s with a few of our current roster and my mate reckons POS was sure that this kid was as good as and if not better than Inglis.

Yeah and TBH a guy like POS looks for stuff we wouldn't even think about.

When I made my first rep team I was selected above a guy who always pipped me at club and regional level. At both levels he was taller and heavier than me... he also scored a lot more tries. However, the rep scouts told me that they picked me because I had a better footy brain and was constantly bending the line + doing work off the ball that most didn't notice rather than crashing forward through everybody and looking good.

Not saying I was ever awesome, but IMO the professionals see stuff that we don't even think about. Hence why they're getting the money!

[Cockadoodledoo]

I had a mate play 20s with a few of our current roster and my mate reckons POS was sure that this kid was as good as and if not better than Inglis.

POS did call Ben Jones the best player he had seen since Mark Gasnier and to put that into perspective, he recruited Inglis, Slater and Falou after Gasnier and before he saw Ben Jones.

[Cockadoodledoo]

Elite backline players like Hayne, Inglis, etc were dominating first grade at 18. Same with any other elite backline player you care to mention of the past 20 years. They still had to play another 4-5 years before really hitting their straps of course but from their debut seasons as teenagers they were forces to be reckoned with.

The fact Mitchell is still ****ing around in an age restricted comp at his age already rules him out of the elite class. He could well turn out to be a very good player, but anyone expecting him to be our Inglis or Hayne are frankly setting the poor kid up for failure.

There is a long list of "next Inglis/SBW" 16 year olds who wind up barely seeing first grade. Ryan WIlliamson is the perfect example of a kid with an unbelievable highlight reel against children who was destroyed the moment he had to play against men.

RTS didn't make his debut until he was 19, Matt Moylan (Not a superstar but a potential one) was 21 however plenty did in the teens. Jamie Lyon was carving up at 17 and whilst I wouldn't say the guys you mentioned were dominating, they were playing at a high level from the get go. The one thing that bothers me about Mitchell is he looks overweight to me. He just seems to be carrying about 5kgs too much fat and at this stage of the season I wonder whether he has the work ethic to get there. You can have all the talent in the world, however without hard work you just cannot make it in the NRL. I hope he can knuckle down and have a big off season.

[Johnny Tobin]

POS did call Ben Jones the best player he had seen since Mark Gasnier and to put that into perspective, he recruited Inglis, Slater and Falou after Gasnier and before he saw Ben Jones.

He was also a massive fan of RTS before any of us knew who he was.

I am always happy to go with his judgment so I am already a fan of Latrell.

[Ray Stehr]

What a load of rubbish that is. I have blocked that clown so I only see the responses if someone quotes them.

The kid turned 18 a couple of weeks ago. Only an idiot would say he won't be anything special because he has not "dominated first grade at the age of eighteen".

Anyone with any doubt should get themselves a copy of last year's SG Ball Grand FInal. He won them the game single-handedly.

He is special and if all goes according to plan he will be a more than suitable replacement for Roger in the coming years.

Settle down JT, as far as I'm concerned I can't see what all the fuss is about with him. I have been watching him and expecting him to be something special like a Freddy or Joey Johns but he doesn't stand out. I hope I'm wrong but everyone is entitles to their opinion, I'm more impressed with Heatherington. Over the years we have seen so many young players who were labelled superstars in the making, we had Williamson, Soliola, Jones, Sa, Moga etc etc and they've all turned out to be average at best. The standard in the 20's is ordinary and standing out wouldn't be too difficult. If he turns out to be half as good as what the so called experts say then I'll be happy but to suggest that he's ready to replace RTS in the NRL is ridiculous.

[Cockadoodledoo]

He was also a massive fan of RTS before any of us knew who he was.

I am always happy to go with his judgment so I am already a fan of Latrell.

Of course he was, it is his job to travel around the country and NZ to look for talent, we don't get that opportunity so he would want to spot RTS and become a fan before any of us. POS is a great recruitment officer but also one of the greatest self promoters I have ever seen.

[Johnny Tobin]

Of course he was, it is his job to travel around the country and NZ to look for talent, we don't get that opportunity so he would want to spot RTS and become a fan before any of us. POS is a great recruitment officer but also one of the greatest self promoters I have ever seen.

Can't agree with that. He stays well and truly in the background.

[Cockadoodledoo]

Can't agree with that. He stays well and truly in the background.

How many other recruitment officers are constantly quoted in the press? He would be the only one I see regularly in the papers. Then there was the self serving South African jaunts etc..

[Johnny Tobin]

How many other recruitment officers are constantly quoted in the press? He would be the only one I see regularly in the papers.

Constantly? Hardly.

If they ask him a question he will answer it but he definitely doesn't seek them out.

I think he should be in the press more. Maybe if he was there explaining what we were up to there would be less alarmists and people thinking we are "clearing the decks to make a big buy" in our ranks.

He didn't even take the stage in those fan forums we had. It would have been great if he did because you only need to speak with him for a couple of minutes to get some great insight into how it all works. But as usual he hung around the back of the room.

BTW on that subject I had the pleasure a couple of years back to spend 30 minutes talking to Gus Gould. That really opened my eyes as well. Blokes like those two see the game on a whole different level to "fans" like us.

[Half time]

Sully isn't the only one who rates Latrell extremely highly. Most of the top recruiters from opposition clubs in the game think similar of the kid.

[fletch]

2015 NSW Under-20s State of Origin Team
1. Latrell Mitchell (Sydney Roosters)
2. Brian Kelly (Gold Coast)
3. John Olive (South Sydney)
4. Robert Jennings (Penrith)
5. Brent Naden (Penrith)
6. Jackson Hastings (Sydney Roosters)
7. Drew Hutchison (St George Illawarra)
8. Alex Twal (Parramatta)
9. Grant Garvey (Sydney Roosters)
10. Liam Knight (Manly)
11. Joe Stimson (Melbourne)
12. Tyrell Fuimaono (Parramatta)
13. Luke Yates (Newcastle)
14. Jacob Liddle (Wests Tigers)
15. Oliver Clarke (Penrith)
16. Addison Demetriou (Manly)
17. Hame Sele (St George Illawarra)
18. Matt Woods (Wests Tigers)

[Tommy Smith]

We gave him a big 4 year deal. And half a dozen other clubs went hard for him.

He'll be a star. The mere suggestion that a kid who just turned 18 a week ago should already be dominating 1st grade is obscene.

As has been mentioned Matt Moylan only became a star last year at 23. And he's a bonafide star imo... a brilliant ball playing fullback.

[Tommy Smith]

Elite backline players like Hayne, Inglis, etc were dominating first grade at 18. Same with any other elite backline player you care to mention of the past 20 years. They still had to play another 4-5 years before really hitting their straps of course but from their debut seasons as teenagers they were forces to be reckoned with.

The fact Mitchell is still ****ing around in an age restricted comp at his age already rules him out of the elite class. He could well turn out to be a very good player, but anyone expecting him to be our Inglis or Hayne are frankly setting the poor kid up for failure.

There is a long list of "next Inglis/SBW" 16 year olds who wind up barely seeing first grade. Ryan WIlliamson is the perfect example of a kid with an unbelievable highlight reel against children who was destroyed the moment he had to play against men.

You say he's ****ing around in an age restricted comp.

Firstly, he's only been eligible for 1st grade for about 10 days. So he's been ****ing around for 10 days...

Secondly, he didn't replace a Jake Webster like GI did at the Storm or some scab like Hayne did at Parra. Who do you propose he replace in our backline? Which rep player should we drop?

Now Toops had an awful game on the weekend but you still wouldn't drop him. There isn't a Jake Webster for him to replace.