Club Statement On Latrell

[rented tracksuit]

Get his personal influencers/off field guideence right and he will get his footy right.

Unfortunately, I fear he will never reach his potential and may not even see out the length of career he probably should.

[Kelby]

If souffs dont reimburse us for his payments for the last 2 months than i say fark them all, make him play for Norths.
If he doesn't train and play, then fine him all the time.
Either way he wont cost us anything.
Put him on the development list so we can back fill his position on the 30 man roster.
Let him rot.

[zac]

I think the club should play tough on the 100k. If it makes the deal with Souths fall through (which it won't) we get the world's best centre for a net discount (maybe 700 minus the 100k we've already wasted). We're pissed off, Latrell's pissed off but Robbo works his magic and both parties make a go of it.

[JAF]

If souffs dont reimburse us for his payments for the last 2 months than i say fark them all, make him play for Norths.
If he doesn't train and play, then fine him all the time.
Either way he wont cost us anything.
Put him on the development list so we can back fill his position on the 30 man roster.
Let him rot.

I agree Kelby - let him rot ...

[ism22]

If souffs dont reimburse us for his payments for the last 2 months than i say fark them all, make him play for Norths.
If he doesn't train and play, then fine him all the time.
Either way he wont cost us anything.
Put him on the development list so we can back fill his position on the 30 man roster.
Let him rot.

I don't think you can after Farah's experience?

IMO we'd be seen as salary cap cheats trying to unfairly free up space so that we can make an aggressive play at legends like Gagai and Roberts :P

[Tommy Smith]

Why the Roosters have been played in the Latrell Mitchell saga


With each passing day that Latrell Mitchell wasn't at training this week — on full pay, while fishing and crabbing or breaking bread with Wayne Bennett — the Roosters felt like they were getting played.

It's why they could emerge as the final roadblock between Mitchell joining Souths after he agreed to terms on Thursday, with the view to him trotting out for training at Redfern on Monday morning

As revealed by the Herald, Mitchell is poised to sign the deal with the Rabbitohs on Friday, although the contract still needs to be registered and cleared by the NRL's salary cap auditor.

He also needs to be released by the Roosters, where he has a contract for 2020 worth $700,000.When Mitchell in November knocked back the Roosters' two-year extension worth $800,000-a-season, they were adamant they would release him to any club other than South Sydney.

Then, just before Christmas, as it became clear that Mitchell's two agents — officially Wayde Rushton, unofficially Matt Rose — couldn't get a deal done elsewhere, the Roosters softened. They were prepared to let him join Souths, just to bring the matter to a conclusion.

This week, that all changed for some reason.

They started making noises about wanting the $116,000 they have paid Mitchell for November and December to be returned.

They are also steaming about a News Corp report in which it was claimed Mitchell was prepared to take a pay cut because he wanted to “improve as a player and person” under Bennett.

The Roosters believe the story was leaked by the Mitchell camp and felt it was a slap in the face to coach Trent Robinson, who stood by Mitchell when he was dumped by NSW after Origin I and then during his admirable stance against on-line racist trolling.

The club also finds it hard to understand why he'd consider a pay cut two months after he rejected their offer of a pay rise — because it wasn't enough money.

As aggrieved as they might feel, it's hard to see the Roosters digging in, asking for their money. Surely, they want closure as much as Mitchell.

Either way, it's another final little twist in the messiest off-season contract negotiation in recent memory; one that surely screams to the RLPA about letting the NRL seriously explore the option of transfer windows.
The Roosters, Souths, Mitchell and Rose are simply playing by the rules they have been given — no rules — and the consequence has been an excruciating off-season of speculation, backroom deals and lots of poker being played with bad hands.

The delay in Souths signing Mitchell has been Jai Arrow, who has been their priority for this season following the off-season retirement of captain Sam Burgess because of his serious shoulder injury.

It created a chaotic scenario on Monday as phone calls frantically bounced between the Rabbitohs, Titans and Storm.

The Titans won't release Arrow unless they get a reasonable player in return — or Storm sensation Tino Fa'asuamaleaui a season early after signing him to massive deal, also from 2021.

Wanting to get Arrow done so they could move onto Mitchell, Souths offered up a player — which this column has decided not to name, because he doesn't know — but the Titans board rejected the offer.

Souths also offered the player to the Storm, on the condition they let Fa'asuamaleaui go a season early, meaning the Titans would let Arrow go earlier.

Melbourne also said no. Instead, they wanted the versatile Adam Doueihi. To which Souths said no. It's likely Doueihi would have said no, too.

What's complicating the impasse, bizarrely, is that Arrow is a stand-up person.

The Titans, who are under enormous pressure to perform this year under new coach Justin Holbrook, know his heart will be in it even if he's already signed to play elsewhere in 2021.

In the modern game, that's uncommon. Why would the Gold Coast let go of an Origin player without a serious player in return?

It's easy to point the finger of blame in all this but the truth is all parties are working inside the rules.

Something must change.

How can it be palatable when players are staying away from training but being paid by one club while negotiating with another? Or players who have already started pre-season training are being discretely shopped to other clubs without their knowledge? Or contracted players, like Mitchell, are being threatened with banishment to reserve grade if they don't hurry up and find another club?

Most of the NRL executive are on holidays at the moment, but we can only assume they are watching from their banana lounges with bemusement.

The NRL and clubs agreed last year to look at the possibility of transfer windows, but it has been met with resistance from RLPA chief executive Ian Prendergast, who believes they are not the “silver bullet” that will resolve the issue.

Indeed, secret meetings in coffee shops and media speculation will always be there, just as there is in any sport, but the current contract system makes the game look cheap and amateurish as clubs and players try to break contracts, sometimes two or three years before they are due to finish.

We won't bother mentioning the idea of the dreaded draft, but surely a transfer window in October a few weeks after the grand final and then another mid-season will clean up much of the mess.

At the very least, a system that means clubs aren't signing players more than a year out from the start of the season in which they are required to play would be better than the present one.

Meanwhile, let us all hold hands and sing Hallelujah — the Leonard Cohen version, of course — and rejoice in the fact the Latrell Mitchell saga. Looks. Like. It. Is. Finally. Over.

After everything Robbo & the club have done for Latrell, this is how he repays them.

He is dishonorable at best, and scum at worst.

No wonder he wants to play for Souffs. They're a perfect match.

[Burger]

Obviously Latrell couldn’t take anymore of Robbo’s conceitedness or hand movements to look smart ala Matty Johns

[The Skeez]

I don't think you can after Farah's experience?

IMO we'd be seen as salary cap cheats trying to unfairly free up space so that we can make an aggressive play at legends like Gagai and Roberts :P

At least Jason Taylor has experience with it to help guide Robbo

[ccfc bondi]

FFS! He was under contract for this year and he is the best centre in the game when in form. HE SHOULD'VE BEEN PLAYING FOR US THIS YEAR REGARDLESS OF WHERE HE'S GOING NEXT YEAR! Not happy with how the club has handled this!

[bondi.boy]

In lead-up to the Club’s return to pre-season, Sydney Roosters player Latrell Mitchell has been granted a leave of absence, excusing him from all training commitments.

The Club will be making no further comment at this time.

I read in one article that he reported for training, was granted a leave of absence, then was given a training program to do at home, then report back on a future date.

[Bruce Pickett]

That SMH Webster article doesn't sound at all like we've been played. If anything, it's Souffs that are in panic mode, on the phone all day to Titans and Melbourne etc...trying to broker a deal in the last minute. Lol@Fat Richo and Fat Fonechucker....

I actually hope Souffs do really well this year, because Easts will do even better. Latrellgate should give us the incentive to bust their asses and hopefully get us the B2B2B.

[bondi.boy]

So, as I see it, next move is up to Latrell.
He has to sort out his future...decide what he wants to do...with that decision
including any proposal for 2020 then presented to our club for consideration.
We have him under contract.

Me myself I, no way I'd be gifting him to Souths.
Even if I didn't want him at the club anymore, no way I'd be paying Souths one cent to take him.
I'd be wanting back all the money I'd paid him since Nov 2...for starters.

In fact I'd be keeping him away from Souths and other clubs this year while we get our halfback sorted.
If that's not possible then I'd be making Souths pay for him.

[milanja]

If roosters let him go to Souths a year early, then they obviously have a soft spot for Souths, and don’t mind helping out the little brother.

Lets see see how hard the roosters really are.

fcuk souths and don’t give them a crumb.

[Kelby]

I don't think you can after Farah's experience?

IMO we'd be seen as salary cap cheats trying to unfairly free up space so that we can make an aggressive play at legends like Gagai and Roberts :P

I wouldn't touch either of those 2 players.
I'd like to grab a good young junior off them as compensation thou!

[milanja]

Souths fatman Richardson said “the roosters will be waiting a long time if they want their money back”

will the fatman have the last laugh, or will uncle nick?