Latrell floors Roosters rookie, two players sin-binned as tempers boil over
Two players were dumped in the sin bin after a heated melee and Latrell Mitchell floored a rookie with a crunching hit in a fiery ending to Friday night’s clash between bitter rivals South Sydney and Easts at Allianz Stadium.
A night that began on a deeply emotional note as Jai Arrow led South Sydney out for his 100th game in red and green ended with sparks flying – and the Rabbitohs celebrating a 50-20 win.
Latrell Mitchell standing over Toby Rodwell after flooring him with a crunching, but legal, hit. Nine
Tempers flared when Mitchell barged over to score down the short side in the 72nd minute.
Despite the fact the Rabbitohs superstar had scored, Roosters hooker Benaiah Ioelu picked up the ball and scurried down the field.
He was knocked off his feet by Lachlan Hubner, who was subsequently sin-binned.
Referee Adam Gee said it was for not making a genuine tackle and starting a melee. Phil Gould scoffed as replays of the bump were shown, asking: “What’s wrong with that?”
Then a second player was sin-binned when Roosters prop De La Salle Va’a was given his marching orders for running in and escalating the melee.
And with three minutes left on the clock, Mitchell, playing his first game since round 11, rushed up on Roosters youngster Toby Rodwell and put him on his backside.
The hit wasn’t high, but so brutal was the contact that the 20-year-old went off for a head injury assessment.
The Nine commentary box erupted.
“Here’s been absolutely hammered here, Rodwell!” said caller Mat Thompson.
“That should be on the nature channel,” Gould added.
“It’s just nailed him.
“That should be on the discovery channel.”
Mitchell stood over Rodwell, asserting his dominance.
For a brief period of time, Wayne Bennett’s heart was in his mouth. Then replays showed the contact wasn’t high, indicating the Bunnies ace would not be in trouble with the match review committee on the eve of finals football.
The Test and State of Origin champion had been sidelined since mid-May with back and calf issues.
He was brilliant in his comeback game, scoring a try, setting one up, registering three line break assists, and making 104 run metres from 14 carries.
He struggled off the boot, though, slotting only five of 10 conversion attempts.
Most importantly, he got through the game unscathed. He played all 80 minutes, too.
“He needed to get some time behind him tonight and get involved in the game, so I took a risk,” Bennett said in his post-game press conference.
“I could have played him less time. A few people were trying to tell me on the bench to get him off. But he was enjoying himself, he wasn’t under stress at the end of that second half.
“And he had a bit of swagger back and did some really good things.
“So I was really pleased with the outcome.”
Mitchell’s Bunnies were raging-hot favourites against the Roosters, who had put a huge number of stars on ice to freshen up for the finals, including James Tedesco, Mark Nawaqanitawase, Daly Cherry-Evans and Robert Toia.
