Jun 6th, 2019

Jun 6th, 2019

Roosters officials are fuming with enigmatic centre Latrell Mitchell after he failed to return to Sydney with his Blues teammates on Thursday.

Mitchell instead chose to drive with relatives to his home town of Taree and is not expected to play for the Roosters against Penrith on Sunday.

Sources in the Roosters ranks have told Wide World of Sports the club is not impressed that Mitchell asked for leave from the Blues management, but not from the club that pays his wages every week.

Latrell Mitchell had a poor game for NSW. (AAP)

Mitchell, in sensational form at the start of the season, has been troubled by off-field issues and a dispute with his manager in recent weeks and gone off the boil.

He was barely sighted in the Blues’ loss to Queensland, with NSW coach Brad Fittler admitting his mind was elsewhere.

"I don't think he'll play this week,” Fittler said.

“I know they're not that happy at the Roosters and there's a lot going on in his life at the moment with managers. There always seems to be something other than footy.

Mitchell sin-binned for foul play

"He's a superstar, we all want him out there playing. He obviously needs to work on his motivation.

"One thing you have to understand is he's young, he played in a winning Origin series last year, played for Australia, won a grand final, you have to give some people a break.

"He'll go through these times while he's young. The nature of State of Origin, you need to be at your best. He wasn't at his best (in Origin One). That's fair to say.

"He can do such brilliant things, sometimes that might mask other parts of his game. He's a superstar, he's coming off a huge year, he's a young bloke so I can cut him some slack."