‘It drove them out’: Agent’s big NRL fears for Latrell amid ugly Mundine, SBW precedent
Anthony Mundine #AnthonyMundine
The agent of high-profile stars Anthony Mundine and Sonny Bill Williams, Khoder Nasser, holds fears racism in rugby league could force Latrell Mitchell out of the game.
Mitchell has been front and centre of the headlines after the son of Clive Churchill, Rod, sent an ugly text message to Rabbitohs chairman Nick Pappas.
Souths chief executive Blake Solly as well as Mitchell’s adviser Matt Rose has since reached out to NRL powerbrokers to air their concerns after the star fullback was labelled a “cancer”.
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Rabbitohs players reportedly then plotted to refuse to accept the Clive Churchill Medal if they reached the grand final, while Rod Churchill issued an apology for his comments.
Nasser, who explained both Mundine and Bill Williams experienced racism in rugby league, believes Mitchell could be facing a similar fate.
“It’s so blatant. It’s appalling. It drove Anthony and Sonny out of the game… you don’t want it to be where Anthony Mundine and Sonny were. Anthony Mundine was very vocal and rightfully so,” Nasser said to the SMH.
“He had zero tolerance for any form of racism that he encountered and continues to be like that. No one went through what Anthony Mundine went through, but people have a different way in dealing with these things.
“Anthony was vocal about it. Latrell seems to be vocal in his silence. We need to know what he’s feeling. You can tell that Latrell has been really hurt here. You can’t hear him or see him now, but you hear other voices around him.
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“It’s sad that someone of his profile and his standing in the game is in this situation where he is attacked from pillar to post. I hope it doesn’t drive him out of the sport altogether. I’ve seen it before.”
Nasser also highlighted one line in Churchill’s text which read: “He is a complete myth who has the aboriginal cause paramount and south sydney second”.
He explained the comment was an attack “on him and the Aboriginal community as a whole” and also praised Churchill’s apology.
“I don’t think there is any fair thinking person who would not agree that the Aboriginal situation in this country is far more important than your football team. And I’m sure South Sydney, the important people at the club, are all for this very humane attitude,” Nasser said.
Nasser also went on to explain that he believes systems in place to support Aboriginal athletes are “flawed”.