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NRL star Latrell Mitchell considering shock switch to rugby union - report
Sydney Roosters star Latrell Mitchell is reportedly considering a shock move to rugby union after his advisors enquired about the prospect of a code switch with Rugby Australia.
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According to the Sydney Morning Herald, Mitchell’s management team reportedly made contact with RA to see if there is any interest in the 22-year-old as a potential Wallabies prospect as his options to stay in the NRL continue to dwindle.
The Roosters have pulled their lucrative contract offer from the table in a deal which would have secured the four-test Kangaroo centre’s long-term future.
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Instead, the reigning NRL champions want Mitchell off their books as soon as possible, despite the fact he is contracted with Sydney until 2020.
Similarly, the SMH reports that the Wests Tigers have also retracted their contract offer for the New South Wales youngster after they felt as though their offer was being used as a back-up alternative.
Writing in an online column for SBS six months ago, Australian dual code international Timana Tahu said that Mitchell should be a high priority target for RA.
“For the next high-profile player that they wanna look at, throw big money at, I’d be looking at Latrell,” Tahu wrote.
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“It’d be a massive loss for rugby league, but for rugby union, he’d bring a new audience, new sponsorship and help change the Wallabies.
“It’s perfect timing because there are two or three years for him to get his game knowledge up … the next World Cup is in 2023
“In terms of his union success, I just see his kicking skills, as well as his passing skills, being valuable. He’s tall, he’s fast, he’s big — he’s made for rugby union.
“In my opinion, if you were at Rugby Australia you should be doing everything you could to get him across…
“He could be a dominating centre in an Australian Super Rugby team, plus he would be an attribute for the Wallabies.
“I think his profile would bring a lot to the Wallabies too, on and off the field.”
The Tigers have stated that they would be willing to renegotiate a new offer if Mitchell expressed a desire to move to the club, but a move to any other team in the NRL would be highly dependent on player movements across the league leading into next season.
Such a complex process of player transfers could play a helping hand in a possible switch to rugby union, but that would likely come down to how RA see Mitchell fitting into their plans.
In other news:
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Comments on RugbyPass
Bar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
35 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
35 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
35 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
35 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. All the Kiwis sticking up for this unprincipled individual because they can't accept justified criticism, he has zero credibility or integrity. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
35 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
35 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
2 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
35 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
18 Go to comments