Rabbitohs star Latrell Mitchell has ruled out the home state decision at Suncorp Stadium following the Souths’ big win over the Eels.
The 25-year-old returned long-awaited in round 16 after a 12-week sideline stay, spending time in the United States working with renowned specialist Bill Knowles on a hamstring injury.
Mitchell’s return was timely for the Rabbitohs, who were able to defeat the Eels 30-12 on Saturday night, and many saw his return as a possible Origin audition for the NSW Blues.
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After appearing seven times for the Blues, many had Mitchell marked in pencil to enter the centers on NSW’s Fittler side.
But the No. 1 barnstorming had other ideas, revealing that he will retire from the Origin selection race and focus on his side of the club in what Cooper Cronk called a “selfless act”.
“No, I think I’ll close the headlines now, I’ll retire, I’ll worry about the Souths, I’ll focus on myself,” Mitchell said on Fox Saturday’s Super Saturday coverage.
“They have a very good team in NSW, good luck for Burton in the centers and give Crichton a chance, let him bleed and I just want to focus on South Sydney and myself and get well for the end of the game. season. “
Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou backed his star side’s decision.
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“That’s Latrell back in business!” | 00:41
“I’ll let him have these conversations with Freddy. It’s exciting to have him back with a red and green jumper and I’m looking forward to the end of the year,” Demetriou said.
“I’m not someone who says you can’t play with the Blues. It depends on him and only on him … he’s an old kid and he makes his own decisions. “
Meanwhile, Rabbitohs teammate and Blues hooker Damien Cook explained that he was proud that Mitchell made the tough call.
“I’m proud of him, he’s worked hard, he’s been out of the game for a long time and he’s been right … he’s putting this club first and, as a South Sydney man, I’m proud to hear- ho. ”Cook said.
“Although he is excellent in this scenario and deserves to be there. Injuries have stopped him this year, but he put the club first, that’s very important to us and he’s very proud of him. “
Fox League’s Benji Marshall revealed that Mitchell would not have made the decision lightly, but explained that it is the best decision for the rest of the 2022 season.
“I would have known before the game that this is where he is, that he has been out for so long with a hamstring injury and has had to work hard to get back,” Marshall said.
“So I think for himself and in the long run this season is the best decision to last, to go to the Origin area where the pace of the game is much faster.
“He has just returned and has performed 80 minutes in the rain, everything plays a role and it is a great demand that is expected to reach this level.
“But at the same time that he just closed it and stopped the whole talk about it, he even talked about the other guys who deserve the shirt, he said Burton deserves it, Crichton deserves it, you know is where it is.
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REYNOLDS EXPLODE to correct call | 00:44
“I know Latrell on a personal level and he has a different background than people see him on the field, off the field he is a very smart guy and a very good person, I thought he showed maturity to go out and say that. I am very proud of him that he made that decision. “
Fox League’s Cooper Cronk explained that the decision was “disinterested” and Mitchell will hope to pay the Rabbitohs again after last year’s big final defeat.
“Difficult decision to do so, very selfless on his part, he is definitely giving more love and gratitude to the club for what they are giving him,” Cronk said.
“In terms of going to the United States to rehabilitate his body and the time to do it, and you have to remember that he missed last year’s final and the finals, if he had played maybe they could have won. grand finale.
“So there’s a little bit of the back of Latrell’s head, on the other hand, you have to remember that there are other players who have done that, Jamie Lyon chose not to play representative football before and that’s the your absolute choice, you do it. you don’t have to. “
But Cronk explained that a decision on Origin is a rare moment in the career of a rugby league player, which increases the scope of the big decision.
“But on the other hand, from my own personal position, I would come out of retirement for a Decisive Origin, this is the big moment that is this as a NSW or Queensland player.”
“A decision on the state of origin in Suncorp is one of the rarest moments you have in your football career, so 6 there are two parts, an absolute congratulations to Latrell for making this decision, with respect to the players who went do so well in game II.
“But on the other hand, it’s a hell of a chance through your football career to go from a great player to almost one of the best when you do things like that in Game III playoffs.”