RUMOUR: Latrell Mitchell Consolidated Thread

[B-Train]

No, I have massive doubts. His workrate as it is now is one of the worst in the game of any back, expecting him to all of a sudden get in super fit shape and have anywhere near the same explosiveness is just unrealistic imo.

I think you really need to look at his mindset and what he's actually good at, the bloke is a freak athlete and that's what you need to focus on. Clogging his game up with playmaking, organising the defence, organising the attack, running a shitload more KMs, etc isn't going to be the best thing for him.

I really don't know what goes through some people's heads on here, we have just been fucked by our cap management yet people want or fork out $10m to manufacture a bloke to play in a position he has never excelled in at NRL level. This is an absolutely massive risk, no where near as easy as some of you think it is going to be.

I think his workrate is low because he's playing a position where you can drift in and out of games and he plays on a stacked team that doesn't require that much from him. And he's young.. People forget how young he still is and it's not like he won't improve... Contrary to what people think, he's a good kid who will work hard to realise his potential.

Within the next year or so at the Roosters or another club, he will move to 5/8th or fullback. It's only a matter of time. Whether you think he'll handle it is open to debate but there's no doubting he will change position very soon. He's wasted in the centres. I agree that 5/8th would be a harder transition but think he'd dominate at fullback with a full offseason and can take advantage of his athletic ability.

Any 10 year deal is a risk. But it's worked out great with Taumalolo and DCE and I'm sure another club would be interested Latrell if it didn't work out for some reason. $1 million a year for a talent like him is nothing when Napa is on 500k, Mitch Moses is on 800k and Ash Taylor is on 1 million!

 

[GrogDog]

I think a long contract is riskier for him then us. As long as we have the usual behaviour clauses etc in place. We all know contracts in the NRL don't mean shite anymore so if he fuks up we boot him and we're covered, if he wants out then he forfeits his $$$. I don't think 10 years is as scary as some think.

 

[B-Train]

Mitchell is still growing and is a very big boy.

He is way too big to play at FB or at 5/8. Sure he could fill in when needed, but that is it.

People have very short memories as when he came into 1st grade, Robinson threw him at FB and he was consistently getting injured. But as all good coaches do, they identify the correct position for each player and that's what Robinson has done.

Inglis would still be playing today if he was kept in the centres his entire career.

Blokes the size of Inglis and Mitchell are just way too big to play in such a demading position as Fullback. They can play there, but they break down very quickly.

Mitchell wants the big pay day and that is all there is to it.

From day 1 i was and want Mitchell at the club but only as a left centre.

$1m a year for 10 years? Thats a massive gamble!

One fucked thing in the NRL is, that there is a massive lack of talented players in the halves and the ones playing now are over priced. Mitchell Moses 800k, Ash Taylor $1m, Nathan Cleary $1m and so on....

At $1m you would get more value out of Mitchell than any of these halves, but as mentioned it is a big gamble

GI played several years at Souths at fullback and dominated once he made the move. He would have played fullback most of his career if it weren't for Slater being at Melbourne.

Latrell had some good and bad games at fullback but he was a 19 year old at the time. Give him a full offseason to lose a few kg's and train in that position exclusively and he'll excel there...

Bottom line is the kid is a great natural footballer regardless of position and has instincts and ability that less than a handful of players have. Only one or two talents like him come around every decade and any club would be thrilled to sign him.

 

[Shire Dog]

our club has a terrible record with long term contracts .. and this one is far more fraught with danger then all those others combined …. I don't like it one bit ...

I can’t fathom signing any player for 10 years
Doesn’t make sense to me,Club and player relationship will probably strain in the long run

 

[GA45]

Yh I wouldn't do that at all, max 4 year deal imo.

Then you won’t beat other bids for him. Simple as that. If you want to attract the best you have to pay. Roosters will match a 4 year deal we all know that

 

[GDR]

Then you won’t beat other bids for him. Simple as that. If you want to attract the best you have to pay. Roosters will match a 4 year deal we all know that

Rooster aren't dumb enough to give out 10 million dollar/ 10 Year contracts..

 

[GA45]

Rooster aren't dumb enough to give out 10 million dollar/ 10 Year contracts..

You missed the whole point there. You won’t attract a superstar like Latrell away from their original club if you don’t take a risk. Of course the ten year contract is a risk. If you offer a 4 year deal the roosters are 99% sure to match it.

 

[B-Train]

Rooster aren't dumb enough to give out 10 million dollar/ 10 Year contracts..

True, but they don't need to. Players will gladly play for them and they can cheat the cap and pay "less". Whereas our club needs to recruit someone like Latrell to help recruit other stars.

 

[GDR]

You missed the whole point there. You won’t attract a superstar like Latrell away from their original club if you don’t take a risk. Of course the ten year contract is a risk. If you offer a 4 year deal the roosters are 99% sure to match it.

im sorry but its dumb.. compromise your salary cap again, in order to sign other players, with less money available in the cap ??.. am I getting it yet LOL..

I agree you may have to pay slight overs for 2-3 years in order to attract stars back her but 10year LOL ...

theres probably 2 players worth a million dollars in the comp right now.. Munster and Ponga (maybe Tamololo) .. certainly not Latrell and especially not for 10 years..

its a make or break decision for the next 10 years massive gamble for such little reward..

 

[Spoonman84]

I think the contract would be closer to 10% of the cap then a million a year as well.

The club is taking a moneyball approach with a percentage of the cap instead of a money figure.

Its a much smarter way of doing business as it protects us form getting burnt with increases or decreases in the cap.

 

[GDR]

True, but they don't need to. Players will gladly play for them and they can cheat the cap and pay "less". Whereas our club needs to recruit someone like Latrell to help recruit other stars.

its an extremely high risk gamble and one that is not necessary just yet...

 

[Scoooby]

And still no mention pay has been sacked would top it off nicely !!

 

[CrittaMagic69]

Then you won’t beat other bids for him. Simple as that. If you want to attract the best you have to pay. Roosters will match a 4 year deal we all know that

Then we miss out.

 

[CrittaMagic69]

I think his workrate is low because he's playing a position where you can drift in and out of games and he plays on a stacked team that doesn't require that much from him. And he's young.. People forget how young he still is and it's not like he won't improve... Contrary to what people think, he's a good kid who will work hard to realise his potential.

Within the next year or so at the Roosters or another club, he will move to 5/8th or fullback. It's only a matter of time. Whether you think he'll handle it is open to debate but there's no doubting he will change position very soon. He's wasted in the centres. I agree that 5/8th would be a harder transition but think he'd dominate at fullback with a full offseason and can take advantage of his athletic ability.

Any 10 year deal is a risk. But it's worked out great with Taumalolo and DCE and I'm sure another club would be interested Latrell if it didn't work out for some reason. $1 million a year for a talent like him is nothing when Napa is on 500k, Mitch Moses is on 800k and Ash Taylor is on 1 million!

His workrate has always been low, even at fullback coming through. Bloke just simply doesn't do the hard yards and sits back for others to do it so he can do the flashy stuff.

No doubt he's moving position? Says who? I along with others don't see it happening successfully so there's doubt right there.

I'd take him for centre, but I'm not fucking around and spending a mill on him and having him play elsewhere. Go sign Munster if you want that, go sign Teddy, RTS, Tommy Trbo, etc. If the clubs spending that sort of money then spend it on someone already established in that position.

 

[B-Train]

its an extremely high risk gamble and one that is not necessary just yet...

Ideally we wouldn't give anyone a 10 year deal. But it's this kind of risk the club has to take otherwise they're no chance of luring Latrell or Ponga etc. Its either a long term deal or offer twice as much.

Everyone thought Nth Qld were crazy at the time the Lolo deal was announced and now it looks like the bargain of the century. Even if Latrell didn't pan out, ten other clubs would gladly take him off our hands.

Obviously this deal is projecting what Latrell will do. But I'm one who is willing to bet that he meets and surpasses those projections. We'll see what happens.

Its probably all moot anyway as the Roosters will lock him up on a 600k three year deal when other clubs were offering twice as much. Then when he's off contract, the media will report his deal was worth $1.5 million a season.

 

[B-Train]

His workrate has always been low, even at fullback coming through. Bloke just simply doesn't do the hard yards and sits back for others to do it so he can do the flashy stuff.

No doubt he's moving position? Says who? I along with others don't see it happening successfully so there's doubt right there.

I'd take him for centre, but I'm not fucking around and spending a mill on him and having him play elsewhere. Go sign Munster if you want that, go sign Teddy, RTS, Tommy Trbo, etc. If the clubs spending that sort of money then spend it on someone already established in that position.

Tommy Turbo? Talk about getting by on athleticism and being inconsistent! And he's a massive injury risk.. Now there's a player who hasn't proven yet he's worth a massive investment...

Latrell himself says he wants to change position. He's not happy playing centre. He's said numerous times he wants to play 5/8th or fullback... If the Roosters don't accommodate his request, he'll move to a team that will. Whether he succeeds there is the question and I think he will. We'll see soon enough.

 

[GDR]

Ideally we wouldn't give anyone a 10 year deal. But it's this kind of risk the club has to take otherwise they're no chance of luring Latrell or Ponga etc. Its either a long term deal or offer twice as much.

Everyone thought Nth Qld were crazy at the time the Lolo deal was announced and now it looks like the bargain of the century. Even if Latrell didn't pan out, ten other clubs would gladly take him off our hands.

Obviously this deal is projecting what Latrell will do. But I'm one who is willing to bet that he meets and surpasses those projections. We'll see what happens.

Its probably all moot anyway as the Roosters will lock him up on a 600k three year deal when other clubs were offering twice as much. Then when he's off contract, the media will report his deal was worth $1.5 million a season.

I don't agree that its a risk we have to take.. I would rather risk it on either Ponga or Munster. Latrell has had issues previously and is actually having one right now .. far too inconsistent to throw that sort of money at

 

[haz123]

My opinion ( and that's all it is) that your all getting worked up.over nothing.
He ain't coming never was never will.
Though I must admit it is nice to dream every now and then.

 

[Spoonman84]

I could Latrell getting into the biggest comfort zone of all time on a 10 year deal.

To me he looks really fragile mentally but there's no harm in trying to lure him here and see what happens.

 

[CrittaMagic69]

Tommy Turbo? Talk about getting by on athleticism and being inconsistent! And he's a massive injury risk.. Now there's a player who hasn't proven yet he's worth a massive investment...

Latrell himself says he wants to change position. He's not happy playing centre. He's said numerous times he wants to play 5/8th or fullback... If the Roosters don't accommodate his request, he'll move to a team that will. Whether he succeeds there is the question and I think he will. We'll see soon enough.

Tom is a better fullback than Latrell, but yes there are doubts due to his recent injury history. Toms workrate also blows Latrells out of the sky.

Lots of players want to change positions, doesn't always work out for them. My opinion on this won't change, no way will I support this sort of deal on a player that isn't established in his position while also carrying doubts about him transitioning.