V\u2019landys must now deliver on the promises made almost four years ago and ban Rod Churchill from presenting the medal struck in his late father\u2019s honour on grand final day.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Latrell Mitchell taking on the Eels in Indigenous Round.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>NRL Photos<\/cite><\/p>\n The NRL should follow the lead of the AFL with the Norm Smith Medal, and ask past recipients to hand over the Clive Churchill Medal instead.<\/p>\n Churchill\u2019s comments about Mitchell in a private text message to Souths chairman Nick Pappas in May \u2013 that Churchill is accused of disseminating to a wider audience last week \u2013 means he can no longer do the job.<\/p>\n \u201cWhere was the human headline Mitchell tonight Nicholas?\u201d Churchill texted Pappas following Souths\u2019 36-16 loss to Parramatta during Indigenous Round. \u201cMissing again, this was his big game apparently? Your club will not win another comp for another 40 years if this imposter remains at Souths. He is a complete myth who has the aboriginal [sic] cause paramount and south sydney [sic] second, if at all. I hope you and family are well. Nothing was done and now this cancer that is Mitchell has ruined the club.\u201d<\/p>\n He doubled down on his remarks to Sun-Herald<\/em> columnist Danny Weidler and the Sunday Telegraph<\/em>\u2019s Phil \u201cBuzz\u201d Rothfield on Sunday, including the line that Mitchell is an \u201cembarrassment to the No.1 jumper\u201d.<\/p>\n Churchill is entitled to his opinion. And Mitchell isn\u2019t above criticism, although his minders often think he should be.<\/p>\n But freedom of speech doesn\u2019t give someone freedom from consequences and when that someone is front and centre of the post-grand final presentation, handing out a prestigious player award, they represent more than a surname. They also represent the game.<\/p>\n Imagine the embarrassment for the NRL if an Indigenous player wins the award in the foreseeable future and refuses to accept the medal out of solidarity with Mitchell. I can\u2019t imagine many players accepting the medal from Churchill after the grand final on October 2.<\/p>\n We\u2019re talking about none of this, of course, if Churchill\u2019s private text to Pappas doesn\u2019t ping around the rugby league biosphere like it did last week, prompting the Sunday papers to call him for comment.<\/p>\n What isn\u2019t widely known is the text sent wasn\u2019t the same as the one sent to Pappas. The putrid remark about Mitchell being a \u201ccancer\u201d has been added to the original message, which Pappas confirmed to this column on Monday morning. He also confirmed he hadn\u2019t shared the text with anyone.<\/p>\n So let\u2019s be clear: not only did Churchill send his text around to a broader audience, but he turbocharged it with a second little kidney punch about Mitchell\u2019s character for good measure.<\/p>\n Churchill would not clarify either of these points when contacted; just a plea to \u201clet this go\u201d and that he was sorry the text had been leaked. There was no apology for the remarks, nor about slamming Mitchell again when contacted by journalists.<\/p>\n Mitchell is a polarising character and has been since his messy departure from the Roosters.<\/p>\n He was the face of Indigenous Round, which was hardly surprising given how passionate he is about issues concerning his people. \u201cI\u2019m the proudest black man alive,\u201d he told the Herald<\/em> at the time.<\/p>\n Latrell Mitchell pinches the ball off Junior Paulo during the Indigenous Round clash between Souths and the Eels.<\/span>Credit: <\/span>Getty<\/cite><\/p>\n He\u2019d been the game\u2019s premier fullback leading into the match, lighting up for Souths in a six-match winning streak that included the prized scalps of Penrith, Brisbane and Melbourne.<\/p>\n Sure, he was below his best in the Parramatta loss, but so were his teammates. The Eels were also strong. Sometimes, teams lose and players don\u2019t play well.<\/p>\n Churchill\u2019s poisonous message to Pappas fed into the well-worn belief that black athletes should be seen and not heard. Shut up and play. Similar arguments were made around State of Origin in 2019 when Indigenous players were asked by reporters if they\u2019d sing the national anthem and, when they didn\u2019t, were ridiculously blamed for the Blues\u2019 loss in game one.<\/p>\n Mitchell is not beyond reproach. Sam Burgess didn\u2019t walk out on the club for which he bled for no reason. The stories of the past week about him getting preferential treatment are newsworthy and in the public interest, although some secret herbs and spices have been sprinkled to a few of them.<\/p>\n Mitchell\u2019s inner-sanctum, especially manager Matt Rose, in some instances don\u2019t seem to understand the difference between a \u201cpersonal attack\u201d and the scrutiny that comes with being one of the biggest names in Australian sport. It\u2019s offensive to be branded \u201cracist\u201d when you submit negative commentary about the Souths fullback.<\/p>\n Nevertheless, Churchill\u2019s remarks went too far; an unnecessary and damaging case of grandstanding from the son of a club legend that certainly was a personal attack on Mitchell\u2019s character.<\/p>\n The NRL is waiting on a complaint from South Sydney, which is typical fence-sitting from a governing body that tries to be everything to everyone and ends up standing for nothing.<\/p>\n \u201cWe would consider any concerns expressed by the South Sydney club,\u201d V\u2019landys said on Sunday.<\/p>\n Time for the ARL Commission to practice what it preached four years ago.<\/p>\n Stream the NRL Premiership 2023 live and free on <\/b>9Now<\/b>. <\/b><\/p>\n Sports news, results and expert commentary. <\/i><\/b>Sign up for our Sport newsletter<\/i><\/b>.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n Source: Read Full Article<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<\/p>\n
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