Apr 28th, 2020

Apr 28th, 2020

Latrell Mitchell's mental health would be a massive concern if he was banned for the season over his camping trip, NRL great Sam Thaiday says.

Mitchell copped a police fine and may face a playing ban after hosting a camping trip on his NSW North Coast property, which included fellow Test player Josh Addo-Carr.

Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga has suggested the trip, a glaring breach of social distancing rules during the coronavirus crackdown, could cost both players their Australian jerseys.

Coaching great Phil Gould went further, saying that both players should be banned for the season for undermining the NRL's efforts to relaunch on May 28 amid strict quarantine measures.

Thaiday told TODAY that he feared the impact such a heavy sanction might have on Mitchell, who had a tumultuous 2019 in which he was dropped from the NSW State of Origin team, changed managers and switched clubs from the Sydney Roosters to South Sydney Rabbitohs.

Josh Addo-Carr (third from right) and Latrell Mitchell (fourth from right) pose during camping. (Instagram)

"The boys have made a mistake, a massive mistake. There's a lack of common sense there," Thaiday said.

"If they get banned for the whole season, I don't think that's a great thing. I think there's a great opportunity on the other side of this for those boys to really give back to the community. Put a fine system in place, but I'd still love to see those boys get back out there and play some football this year.

"That [a season ban] would definitely send a massive message to the boys, but I don't think in a season that's already been interrupted through this COVID-19 situation, I don't think sitting those boys out for a prolonged period is going to help them, both physically and mentally as well.

"We saw Latrell Mitchell last year go through what was a bit of a rollercoaster, emotionally and as a rugby league player. I think the best thing for those boys at the moment is to get back out there, get training and get playing some football."

However, Gould doubled down on his season ban call on Tuesday, having first suggested the sanction on Monday night on 2GB.

"I think over my history I've shown plenty of compassion and understanding to players on a whole range of issues, but sometimes you need to wield a big stick and i think this is one of those occasions," Gould told TODAY.

"[Their apology] shows they knew it was wrong. They apologised immediately after they were exposed on social media, which means they knew right from wrong. They made a choice, they made a very bad choice and they've put everything in jeopardy.

"They've put themselves in harm's way, they've put their teammates in harm's way, they've put the game in a difficult position and certainly the leaders of our game, who have been trying to portray to governments that we can responsibly follow protocols and get our game back on track for the good of the community.

"Our leaders have been telling the government that we're capable of that and then we have an incident like this on the weekend, I'd see there was a few raised eyebrows in government corridors today."

Gus doubles down on season ban call

Gould said that there should be fewer problems keeping players in line once they were back under the wing of their clubs. Training resumes on Monday and Gould said that governments would be looking to see how Mitchell and Addo-Carr were dealt with.

"Most of the troubles that we have with players are when they're left to their own devices," he said.

"Not all of them, obviously, it's just a small percentage are spoiling it for the rest of them. This was a serious breach of trust. Forget about other laws that might have been broken or the irresponsibility of it or the stupidity of it, it was a serious breach of trust.

"It's putting themselves above everything else and everyone else in the game. It puts their teammates at risk.

"Players tend to be a little bit bonded in this regard, 'Oh well, that's just Latrell, that's just Josh'. That's why it's for the leaders of our game to send that statement and we need to send it to all our players.

Latrell Mitchell apologises for his camping trip (R). (Instagram)

"This is going to be a very difficult time for them. I feel for our players at the moment, because these are extraordinary times. We're all going through it.

"But that's what has to be done at the moment, that's the commitment we all make to each other, that's the community spirit. It's unfortunate these boys just haven't seen it that way.

"I'm sure the government is looking to see how the game deals with this, and so to all other players. This [a season ban] is a strong message that needs to be sent.

"I'm sorry that it's Latrell and Josh, I've got nothing against them personally, but anyone who we come across with these actions and put the game and their teammates in such jeopardy needs to be made an example of at this time."

Latrell Mitchell. (Sydney Morning Herald)

Mitchell and Addo-Carr's actions have thrown into doubt the capability of rugby league players to follow extreme isolation measures in order to resume the competition, whether in a team environment or not.

Thaiday said he was hopeful that the majority of players could be trusted, saying that the NRL's resumption was important to its fans.

"I hope we can trust them. I think as Australians, we're all sitting back looking for a little bit of normality in our lives, and I think sport is that normality," he said.

"This is definitely a lesson for all NRL players out there, to make sure that they are following the social distancing rules that are put in place, because we don't want this to spread. We'd love to see our game back on television, we'd love to see the boys back out there playing, giving all Australians a bit of normality.

"Hopefully this is the lesson learned for all NRL players, that we have to abide by the same rules as everybody else."