Ignore the haters and remain true to yourself. That is Anthony Mundine’s message to Latrell Mitchell as the South Sydney superstar prepares to return to rugby league after a three-game suspension. The Rabbitohs’ marquee player will make his comeback against St George Illawarra at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium on Saturday night, expecting a ‘warm’ reception from the home crowd.
Mundine, a proud Indigenous player and former Dragons star, urged the Red V army to show respect for Mitchell, who had been booed by fans earlier this season during games against the Roosters and Bulldogs. Some regarded the booing as racist, while others saw it as the ordinary attention that any high-profile player receives.
Mundine, one of the most divisive figures in Australian sport, understands where the criticism originated from. He stated: “If you’re going to boo, you should be ashamed of yourself. Pull your heads in. You are not a true Australian.
“The reason he’s being booed is that he’s a proud Aboriginal man who advocates for his people. It is completely uncool, not just for Latrell, but for any player. It’s unjust to do that to anyone, whether it’s Latrell Mitchell or someone else. It’s completely wrong. They should support and enjoy the game.”
Asked if he had advice for Mitchell, Mundine said: “I know Latrell is very strong mentally and he shouldn’t give a sh*t about what people think and what people say. He just has to keep doing him and playing the best he can.
“I just hope it doesn’t get to Latrell. If it was me, it would motivate and inspire me to go to new heights. I wish my brother Latrell nothing but the best and I want him to succeed.”
Donny Bell, a lifetime St George Illawarra fan and host of the Mad Dragons Vodcast, expects Mitchell to get his fair share of attention at Kogarah, but is convinced it will not be negative. “Right or wrong, I’d expect him to be booed by some members of the audience,” Bell told Yahoo Sport Australia.
Some will be more vehement since rival fans know it bothers him and will reflect negatively on the rugby league community, but I don’t believe there will be anything more malicious in it. It will simply be fans attempting to give their team an advantage over a world-class player.”
The Bunnies lost all three games and fired coach Jason Demetriou during Mitchell’s forced absence. They are last following a 1-7 start to the season.
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