Anthony Mundine calls out Latrell Mitchell detail he 'hasn't learnt' after 'disgusting' NRL twist
The South Sydney fullback was routinely booed during the Rabbitohs game in Magic Round.
Anthony Mundine has urged Latrell Mitchell to use the booing he constantly cops as motivation and fuel to prove his doubters wrong. Just like we saw at the end of Adam Goodes' career in the AFL, opposition fans are routinely booing Mitchell for no particular reason at all.
The situation took a sinister twist in Magic Round last weekend when Mitchell was booed from the start of the Rabbitohs' clash with the Cowboys despite it being at a neutral venue at Suncorp Stadium. The stadium would have been packed with plenty of fans who weren't supporting Souths or the Cowboys, yet Mitchell still copped a chorus of boos whenever he touched the ball in the first 20 minutes.
Some claimed on social media that it was simply Queensland fans booing a player from NSW, but Mitchell hasn't played Origin since 2021 and no other player from NSW copped the same treatment. The booing was labelled 'disgusting' and 'pathetic' by others on social media, with many calling for the NRL to take a stand and stamp out the unsavoury behaviour.
Speaking to Wide World of Sports this week, fellow Indigenous athlete Mundine likened the situation to some of the criticism he copped throughout his rugby league career and urged Mitchell to use it as motivation. The latest round of boos also came after two spectators were banned by the Rabbitohs for racially abusing Mitchell and Cody Walker during the previous game.
“I learned to take the boos like a badge of honour and it provided added motivation for me to be the best player in the game. Latrell should do the same,” Mundine said. “The hate should be a motivating factor, not a stumbling block. You can tell he hasn’t yet learnt to use the racism as fuel to achieve greatness.
“Latrell can be the best player in the game whenever he decides to dedicate himself to his craft and works on his mindset. His skillset is freakish.”
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Anthony Mundine has clashed with Latrell Mitchell before
Mundine's latest comments came after he took aim at Mitchell earlier this year over his response to Ezra Mam being racially abused by Spencer Leniu. Mundine had told Mam to “take it on the chin” and “toughen up”, which left Mitchell fuming.
“This what our people get told to do and continue to get told. ‘Be quiet fall in line’,” Mitchell wrote on social media. “Anyone seen this story and knows any sense of culture that this s**t isn’t the same thing. Absolute bulls**t. I don’t agree with this and if you do, do better. Give respect get respect!! Don’t dilute the longest living culture in the world.”
Mundine responded: “To Latrell, listen. Let me educate you on a few things that should have been quite apparent to you,. When it came to exposing racism and bigotry in sport, I was the pioneer. I paved the way. In fact, I was giving a voice and standing up for Aboriginal people’s rights when you were still in nappies. I bled for the cause.
“So when I have something to say about racism in sport, I’ve earned the right to say it. Trell, please. Just focus on your footy … you’ve been underperforming far too long and been lucky to have Cody by your side to hold your hand.
“Earn the right to talk before you start trying to disrespect the OG of the game. Remember, despite what you might think, you’re no Greg Inglis and you’re certainly no Anthony Mundine. Despite your disrespect, I want you to succeed and excel. Your success fills me with pride & honour, but you need to learn to respect those who paved the way for you."
