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NRL urged to step in and block Latrell Mitchell and Josh Addo-Carr suspension loophole

The South Sydney Rabbitohs and Parramatta Eels will be monitoring the decision very closely.

riley morgan
Sports Reporter
·4-min read

The NRL have been called to make sure Josh Addo-Carr and Latrell Mitchell don't serve their suspensions during the All-Stars game with both originally expected to miss round one of the new season. South Sydney Rabbitohs star Mitchel endured a turbulent 2024 campaign having been player-of-the-match in for NSW in their Game 2 victory in State of Origin.

He then suffered a foot injury not long after and didn't play again for the Rabbitohs or his state. Mitchell then copped a one-game ban and a $20,000 fine after a photo emerged of him with what appeared to be a white powder during a trip to Dubbo for some coaching clinics.

The NRL have been called to make sure Josh Addo-Carr (pictured left) and Latrell Mitchell (pictured right) don't serve their bans during the All-Stars game. (Getty Images)
The NRL have been called to make sure Josh Addo-Carr (pictured left) and Latrell Mitchell (pictured right) don't serve their bans during the All-Stars game. (Getty Images)

Despite the Rabbitohs' best efforts, Mitchell was expected to serve his ban in round one of the 2025 season. Addo-Carr is also suspended for round one of the new season having just joined the Parramatta Eels.

Addo-Carr parted ways with the Bulldogs and will miss the first round of the 2025 season as he serves the remainder of a four-game ban that ultimately cost him his job at Canterbury. Although both Mitchell and Addo-Carr could look to use the All Stars match to count towards their suspensions.

Latrell Mitchell holds the trophy.
Latrell Mitchell (pictured) captained the Indigenous All-Stars in 2024.

The NRL was toying with moving the All-Stars contest to the end of the season next year, but opted to leave it as a pre-season game having spoken to the players. This means Mitchell and Addo-Carr can now apply to use this game as part of their bans.

Although SEN Radio host Jimmy Smith has urged the NRL to deny the loophole so Mitchell and Addo-Carr can still play the All-Stars game, but serve their ban for their clubs. "Fantastic let's put it up front, but that means Latrell Mitchell and Josh Addo-Carr can miss the game and serve part of their suspensions for that," he said on Thursday.

"It doesn't feel quite right. Why wouldn't you let them play the Indigenous game and let them serve their suspension for the club. Of course the clubs don't want that, but you are talking about the two biggest Indigenous stars in the league.

"And you are trying to take them away from the All Stars clash. My feeling would be to put them in. I would say 'Ok, you can miss the All Stars clash, but it can't serve as a match'. And then watch them play."

Mitchell would be a certainty to feature for the Indigenous All-Stars having played in the competition in all six editions. Mitchell was the captain earlier this year when the Indigenous All-Stars defeated the New Zealand Maori.

Mitchell has made waves in the NRL off-season having been praised for making changes to his preparation. Mitchell has reportedly installed a home gym to better prepare himself for the pre-season under new coach Wayne Bennett and Broncos great Corey Parker commented on photos of Mitchell on social media that showed him looking fit in his time off. Mitchell was seen at training this week being put through the drills.

Many are expecting to see Mitchell hit the ground running in 2025 after his latest campaign. And Rabbitohs CEO Blake Solly told SEN 1170 claimed the players are already showing they are ready to put another disappointing campaign behind them with new coach Bennett at the helm.

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"Yeah it's been an interesting eight weeks since that period when Wayne came down and spoke to the players," Solly said. We just had so many injuries in the 2024 season.

"A lot of the senior guys have been in here two or three days a week rehabbing and getting physio on their injuries so it almost feels like guys like Latrell, Cody (Walker), Jack (Wighton) and Campbell (Graham) have never been away because they've just had to keep getting rehab on those injuries from earlier in the season. So I think in some ways that's set them up for a really good pre-season and again Wayne's reputation goes before him."