James Hooper: Latrell left the Tigers hanging. In the end, they refused to be used as a doormat
The Wests Tigers have made the smart play by pulling their $4 million offer to Kangaroos centre Latrell Mitchell off the table.
What other option did they have? The Tigers rolled out the red carpet to try and woo Mitchell complete with coach Michael Maguire, CEO Justin Pascoe and head of football Adam Hartigan making the 630km round trip to the NSW north coast town of Taree.
They told him he would be the marquee man at Wests Tigers and wear the no.1 fullback jumper he so desires.
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After formally tabling a three year deal worth $3 million for 2021 and beyond - which would have been bumped up to four when he switched next season - Mitchell has left the Tigers hanging for 10 days.
So the club - too often used as a door mat by selfish interests in recent years - made the only play left.
They pulled the deal off the table.
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There’s a sympathetic view of Mitchell’s situation beginning to be aired around rugby league.
Mitchell is still only 22-years-old and there’s a school of thought he’s got too many people in his ear and is understandably indecisive and misguided.
Latrell’s not the first 22-year-old who’s still figuring it all out. At the same time, not many young men have the natural footballing talent of Mitchell.
Sure, he’s worked damn hard to earn himself the opportunity to make very good money playing the game he loves.
Two premierships, State of Origin and Test match football have all been achieved in quick fire succession.
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But this whole contract fiasco has painted Mitchell in an entirely new light.
Instead of the powerful centre with a lethal right-hand fend and the kangaroo ears try-celebration, he’s being painted as high maintenance and difficult.
The fact no other club has got an offer on the table says it all. Someone will pick him up but right now there is nothing there except some lavish praise from Kangaroos coach and Gold Coast king pin Mal Meninga.
So where does he go from here? As it stands at the moment he’s due to return to the Roosters on January 6.
If it drags on that long and Mitchell still hasn’t found an alternative club then the Roosters plan is to tell him to shake hands with North Sydney Bears reserve grade coach Jason Taylor.
The smart play was to stay at the club where you’ve won back-to-back premierships. The club which was going to make you the highest paid centre in the game on a deal worth $800,000 – a-season.
Instead, Latrell finds himself in limbo.