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Latrell Mitchell in hot water for sickening Josh Addo-Carr incident in Souths win

The Souths fullback is facing a fine of up to $2500 for the collision that concussed Josh Addo-Carr.

Souths star Latrell Mitchell has been slapped with a retrospective fine for a horror bump on Josh Addo-Carr that put the Bulldogs winger out of Friday night's game with a concussion. The Rabbitohs fullback is facing a fine of up to $2500 after being hit with a grade-one dangerous contact charge by the match review committee after his hip collected Addo-Carr in South Sydney's 20-16 Good Friday win.

As Mitchell rushed across to make a cover tackle in the final seconds of the first half, the South Sydney fullback collided with the Canterbury winger as he reached for the corner. Addo-Carr fell face-first onto the ground, with Mitchell attempting to hold up the Bulldogs winger and support him as his body went limp.

Latrell Mitchell is facing a fine of up to $2500 for the collision that concussed Josh Addo-Carr. Image: Getty
Latrell Mitchell is facing a fine of up to $2500 for the collision that concussed Josh Addo-Carr. Image: Getty

Directly after the incident, a melee ensued, with Bulldogs players understandably angry that their star winger was scarcely conscious. Referee Gerard Sutton broke up the biff and was heard saying to the bunker that the clash appeared "incidental". However, on Saturday the match review committee disagreed, deeming the challenge dangerous and worthy of a charge.

Mitchell is at no risk of missing matches and can accept an $1800 fine with an early guilty plea. While the Bulldogs will be without Addo-Carr for next Friday's match with the Sydney Roosters. By the time round five is over, the Bulldogs flyer will have played a total of 80 minutes of football this season after also suffering a shoulder injury in round one, much to the annoyance of coach Cameron Ciraldo.

"I thought we were starting to click there, we were asking some nice questions," Ciraldo said. "To lose Foxx (Addo-Carr) on the stroke of halftime was quite disappointing.

"A few personnel changes there in the second half (hurt). We had to do a bit of swapping around there. It's not ideal, but we're still confident we could have probably executed better than what we did."

The Dogs may also be without interchange prop Kurtis Morrin for next week's clash with the Roosters. He is at risk of missing the match after being charged for a dangerous throw on Cameron Murray.

Morrin was sent to the sin bin in the second half as a result of the tackle and can reduce his ban to two matches with an early guilty plea.

Jack Wighton escapes charge for potential hip-drop tackle on Jacob Preston

Souths centre Jack Wighton avoided a charge for a possible hip-drop tackle on Canterbury second-rower Jacob Preston. Following the match the Bulldogs coach refused to comment on suggestions of a hip-drop, saying it wasn't for him to decide.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 29: Jack Wighton of the Rabbitohs celebrates scoring a try with team mates during the round four NRL match between South Sydney Rabbitohs and Canterbury Bulldogs at Accor Stadium, on March 29, 2024, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Jack Wighton avoided a charge after suggestions of a possible hip-drop tackle on Canterbury second-rower Jacob Preston.

The Dogs coach, however, did make a point in saying Preston had finished the game with an ankle injury but would not comment on whether he thought it was legal or not. Preston was sin-binned in the Good Friday clash last year for a hip drop, only for the NRL to admit the following day the tackle was okay.

In commentary, Andrew Johns suggested the tackle had looked like a hip-drop motion, though replays showed Wighton did not actually land on Preston's leg, with the NRL match review committee clearing the Souths centre of any wrongdoing. Preston said after the match that his ankle would be fine and he wasn't anticipating needing scans on it.

with AAP