Latrell Mitchell is facing a potential suspension after a significant incident during the Rabbitohs’ 24-16 loss to the Storm, where he delivered a delayed high shot on Sualauvi Faalogo. In the 49th minute of the match, Mitchell was penalised when his arm made contact with Faalogo’s head, who was attempting to make a pass. Andrew Johns commented on the severity of the situation, suggesting that Mitchell could be in serious trouble following the incident.
The tackle resulted in Faalogo leaving the field, as he did not pass his head injury assessment after the hit. Watching the game, Mitchell quickly got back on his feet but did not argue against the decision to send him off. Referee Peter Gough described the tackle as “direct contact with moderate force.” Fellow commentator Billy Slater noted that slippery conditions and Mitchell’s aggressive tackle style contributed to the incident.
The repercussions for Mitchell are significant, as this marks the 13th occasion he has been sin-binned during his career, solidifying his position as the player with the most instances of being sent to the sin bin in league history. Additionally, another Rabbitoh, Bayleigh Bentley-Hape, was also reported for a high tackle during the same phase of play, highlighting the NRL’s intensified focus on penalising high tackles.
The ongoing debate around the NRL’s crackdown on high tackles has intensified, with Johns calling for a revised approach regarding sin bin durations. He suggested implementing a five-minute penalty for high tackles, as opposed to ten minutes for professional fouls. In recent games, a notable pattern emerged with multiple players being sent to the sin bin for similar offences, including Ryan Papenhuyzen, who was penalised later in the match for a high tackle.
Despite efforts by Jack Wighton, who managed to score two tries for the Rabbitohs, the team couldn’t overcome their longstanding losing streak against the Storm on Victorian ground. The Rabbitohs entered the clash aiming to end a 26-year drought but came up short, highlighting the Storm’s dominance, which has now extended to 20 straight victories on home soil against South Sydney.