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Indigenous icon Andrew Walker believes controversial Southern superstar Latrell Mitchell could leave the game, or suffer from mental health problems, following continued barrages of abuse.
Mitchell is arguably the most criticized and talked about player in the game, a mantle Walker grudgingly wore two decades ago.
The pressure led Walker down a path of drug and alcohol addiction. He was suspended from rugby union and league despite winning Test honors in both codes due to his prolific skills.
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Walker eventually walked away from football, unable to cope with the constant criticism from fans and the media.
And he sees many similarities between his plight and that of Mitchell, who took to the countryside last weekend to escape the fallout from an unprovoked stabbing attack by Rod Churchill, the son of Southern immortal Clive Churchill.
“We are both indigenous children from the jungle who came to the big city and struggle to deal with all that that entails,” Walker told Wide World of Sports.
“I’m really worried that Latrell might walk away or harm himself. I’ve been through what he’s going through now and there was a lot less support in my day.
“I turned to drugs and alcohol and went deeper into a hole. I’m going to speak to Latrell personally and try to support him.”
Those closest to him say Churchill’s extraordinary spray affected Mitchell deeply and said Mitchell needed to stay away from haters on social media.
“With two weeks off (from suspension) it can be a dangerous time for him,” Walker said.
“He needs to be shown some love. He could easily walk away, he doesn’t need the pain he’s enduring.
“I was one of the first to get past him. If I can get past him, he can do it.
“Social media needs to be banned for starters. That’s where the haters say horrible things.
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Latrell’s agent approaches NRL
“At least I didn’t have to deal with it in the past.
“I’ll tell you one thing, though: It’s times like this, you learn who’s got your back.”
The Rabbitohs star spent last weekend out of Sydney in a bid to ease the pressure, but remains on the sidelines with both the public and the media.
He will serve the second of a two-week suspension this weekend and will return if the Rabbitohs make it to the finals.
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Johns gets away with it
Cooper Johns is looking for a new club, with Manly’s salary cap maxed out and unable to accommodate him for 2024.
Johns showed enough in eight games for the Sea Eagles to be a useful option for rival NRL clubs.
The son of the great Matty Johns is highly skilled, super fit and has a dry wit that makes him a useful guy to have around for a long campaign.
He’s not yet in the NRL’s starting playmaker class, but as he showed in his time at Manly, he’s eager to learn and a useful player in the team.
Several rival clubs have already expressed interest in his management.
Who is the complainer?
The Bulldogs think they know which player leaked THAT information about players complaining that coach Cameron Ciraldo pushed them too hard during the season.
Officials are furious that such damaging comments made it to the media, and while they can’t prove it 100 percent, they believe they know the mole.
He is not one of the club’s young players; he’s been at the club long enough to know better.
Suffice to say, he’s in for a tough time in the off-season.
Benji plugging the leaks of the Tigers
Speaking of leaks, Benji Marshall is determined to put an end to the constant leaks to the media about internal Tiger affairs now that he runs the show.
And first on his agenda is the verbal disagreement between assistant coaches David Furner and Robbie Farah a couple of weeks ago that quickly made headlines.
Since it happened in the coach’s box, there are only a small number of people suspicious, and I know where my money is!
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