Very Bad News:Chaos between South Sydney players and coaches

Chaos between South Sydney players and coaches   

 

 

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s famous quote, “You can have results or excuses, not both,” resonates strongly, and perhaps

it’s time for fellow Hollywood star Russell Crowe to heed this wisdom, especially considering the recent

performance of his beloved South Sydney Rabbitohs. Lately, the team has seen more excuses than results.

The Rabbitohs have always embraced an underdog mentality, a part of their

identity ingrained in their DNA. Despite being backed by an Oscar winner and two billionaires, James Packer and Mike

Cannon-Brookes, they continue to portray themselves as fighters, constantly battling against the odds.

However, as my therapist often reminds me, it’s simpler to adopt a victim

mentality than to take responsibility for the chaos we’ve created ourselves, and this is where Souths currently stand.

Over the past eight months, blame has been consistently shifted onto others, ranging from Sam Burgess to the

recurring notion that every journalist in the city merely echoes what the Roosters dictate.

When a problem arises, it’s often countered with whataboutism: what about this team, that coach, or those players?

However, trouble is unmistakably brewing when the club singles out the Triple M social media department for

fullback Latrell Mitchell’s profanity-laden interview following the loss to the Broncos last Thursday night.

According to the NRL’s broadcast agreement, Triple M is not permitted to film interviews on the field, only to

record audio. Posting a video of Mitchell’s interview constituted a breach of this contract.

Nine Entertainment Co, the holder of free-to-air rights (which includes this

publication), lodged a complaint with the NRL. Souths also filed a complaint, alleging that the network had sacrificed

Mitchell’s interests for the sake of social media engagement metrics or similar considerations.

It highlights the issues within the Rabbitohs organization: rather than addressing Mitchell’s behavior and

urging him to behave professionally, they targeted the individual managing Triple M’s Instagram account.

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo convened a meeting with Mitchell and his representatives at League Central on Wednesday evening to address both the

interview incident and his commentary regarding Spencer Leniu’s racism allegation.

Abdo reportedly didn’t mince words in setting clear expectations, and Mitchell,

commendably, listened and acknowledged the advice.

“It was a candid and challenging discussion,” Abdo remarked. “I outlined the standards expected of him as an NRL

player and addressed the concerns regarding his recent behavior, which cannot be repeated.”

The question arises: how many candid and challenging discussions are occurring at Souths regarding the

trajectory of their football team, rather than just focusing on Mitchell’s situation?

When Souths missed out on reaching the finals last season, attention was drawn to

Burgess and his assertion that Mitchell and teammate Cody Walker were being favored by coach Jason Demetriou.

However, the more pressing discussion should have revolved around 32-year-old hooker Damien Cook and 23-year-old halfback Lachlan Ilias.

Cook’s dynamism, which once distinguished him as the premier hooker in the game, has diminished with age, as is natural.

However, rather than opting for the tough choice during the offseason to promote his eventual successor, Peter

Mamouzelos, with Cook transitioning to a bench role, Demetriou remained faithful to Cook. News emerged on

Thursday that Cook would be relegated to the bench, with Siliva Havili taking his place in the starting lineup.

It exudes a sense of desperation, akin to the abrupt dismissal of Ilias.

Back in 2021, the club opted to support the young talent and push out Adam Reynolds. Aside from a brief period of

impressive performance towards the end of 2022, it’s evident that Souths backed the wrong player.

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