UPDATED: The NRL has sent an urgent memo to Triple M telling the radio broadcaster it can’t film on-field interviews after games.
It comes amid the fallout from South Sydney superstar Latrell Mitchell swearing multiple times during a radio interview after Thursday’s loss to Brisbane.
Head office has opted not to sanction Mitchell – leading to claims of double standards from the NRL – but chief Andrew Abdo says he will talk to the fullback over the incident.
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The Sydney Morning Herald on Tuesday published an email sent by the NRL to radio broadcast partners telling them not to film interviews.
The email also says Triple M can’t speak to players until 10 minutes after a game has finished.
NRL chief executive officer Abdo dismissed claims the organisation isn’t brave enough to rein in Mitchell as a meeting beckons between the two.
Abdo’s defiance comes after league icon Phil Gould said on Nine’s 100% Footy that Mitchell has “become bigger than some of the people that are trying to control him”
“It’s been allowed to exacerbate to where it is the point now that the game can’t even step up and control it,” Gould added.
Mitchell has been under fire for his use of expletives in a Triple M interview after South Sydney’s loss to the Broncos.
The NRL and South Sydney have decided not to sanction Mitchell for his comments but indicated the fullback had set a bad example.
“We expect our players to set a good example and clearly using bad language is an example of what we don’t want our players to do,” Abdo said at the launch of Multicultural Round.
“But we all make mistakes, and I think we have to take things in context from time to time, there’ll be things said that players regret.
“I’ve heard Latrell acknowledge the fact that he does regret that, and I will have a chat to him in due course.
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“They’ve been examples since I’ve been the CEO where we try and work with the players, remind them of their obligations and their responsibilities, and help them develop not only their own brand but the brand of the club they represent and the brand of the sport they represent.
“Players are humans, they’ll make mistakes from time to time.
“It’s important to make a discerning choice between when the rules have been broken and when there’s an opportunity to actually help people and help develop them.
“So this is actually quite consistent with how we’ve treated incidents of this nature before. We haven’t formally breached a player, we’ve looked to work with them and help them develop the way in which they communicate more broadly with the fans.”
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The decision not to fine or suspend Mitchell is consistent with the NRL’s ruling on Brandon Smith and Toby Rudolf in recent years. Smith caused a stir when he swore repeatedly on a YKTR podcast before his move to the Roosters was announced.
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Rudolf got himself in hot water when he said post-match he would “try and pull something”.
Asked around the narrative of whether the NRL was afraid to keep Mitchell in line, Abdo declared it “a bold statement to make”.
“We’ve proven over the past that when a player breaches the rules and we believe it warrants a breach action, we take it,” Abdo said.
“Equally, we’ve been accused of being too harsh on players. Everyone will have their view on that. I’m really comfortable with where this sits, and I’m comfortable with the action that we’re taking at the moment.”
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