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Rabbitoh superstar fullback Latrell Mitchell faces the prospect of receiving a two-game ban for his low kick of NSW Blues teammate Tyson Frizell on Sunday afternoon as South Sydney sweats in their bid to reach the end
Mitchell was given a grade two dangerous contact charge for hitting his right arm on Frizell’s head late in the Rabbitohs’ 29-10 loss to the Knights in Newcastle.
If he accepts an early plea, he’ll miss a game — the Rabbitohs’ clash with arch-rivals the Roosters — in the final round of the regular season, but if he fights the charge and loses, he’ll be suspended for two games.
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The Rabbitohs are scheduled for a bye this week and will take on the Roosters at Sydney Olympic Park in round 27 in what is shaping up to be an elimination game.
As they complete round 25, the Rabbitohs sit eighth on the ladder and are tied on 28 points with the Cowboys in ninth and the Roosters in tenth.
So the Rabbitohs will be without their marquee man for a game that will decide whether they appear in the finals.
Mitchell was reported and convicted for his contact with Frizell’s head late in South Sydney’s loss to Newcastle, leading to an all-in brawl.
It was in retaliation for a first half incident in which Frizell attempted to throw the ball to Mitchell’s head.
An all-out melee ensued as Mitchell and Frizell clashed, before Rabbitohs winger Taane Milne and Knights speedster Dominic Young brawled.
“It’s soft… but it’s not necessary,” Andrew Johns said of Nine’s NRL coverage.
“I think he can get a ticket because he was pretty soft.
“There’s not a lot of contact there, but there is intent there.”
Milne was also reported in the Knights’ clash, having dropped his left knee on the head of Knights midfielder Greg Marzhew late in the game.
South Sydney manager Jason Demetriou was silent when asked about the Mitchell and Milne reports.
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“I didn’t think he hit him in the head. I just think it’s nonsense of Latrell’s part,” Demetriou said at his news conference.
“I didn’t see Taane’s, but he received his medicine.
“We’ll have to wait and see what happens (with Mitchell and Milne).
“There’s no point in talking about it… We’ll wait and see what the verdict is tomorrow and go from there,” Demetriou added when pressed about not having Mitchell for the game against the Roosters.
“But (utility) Blake Taaffe is doing a great job (and) has played some good football for us this year.
“We’ll see what happens.”
Spirited scenes where Origin teammate Latrell does it
The Knights notched a seventh straight victory in their comprehensive win over the Rabbitohs, in which Marzhew caught a first-half hat-trick.
But Newcastle were assisted by two dubious tries scored by Daniel Saifiti and Adam Clune, who was replacing the injured Jackson Hastings.
The NRL have launched an investigation into Saifiti’s attempt, which came on a set of eight tackles.
Clune scored after referee interference in the in-goal area.
Tyson Gamble threaded a grubber into the in-goal box, Mitchell oddly whacked the ball towards midfield and the footy picked up the referee’s left leg before Clune planted the ball for a try.
Demetriou said in his press conference that he thought it was a dead ball.
While South Sydney is set for a bye, the Knights will be looking for an eighth straight win in a game against the Sharks in Newcastle on Sunday.
The Knights rank seventh on the scale with 31 points.
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