Latrell Mitchell says he would be the best player in the world if 'I had just shut my mouth' as NSW coach slams rumours of reported feud

Latrell Mitchell will return to the State of Origin arena for New South Wales for the first time since 2021 in Melbourne next Wednesday, and there will likely be plenty of 'hate' thrown his way when he does.

The Souths superstar had endured a shocking start to the 2021 season along with his teammates as they languished at the bottom of the ladder.

Along the way, he copped plenty of criticism for being too outspoken so he placed himself on a three-month media ban to concentrate on his footy.

Now, back to his best, he has earned an Origin recall at the expense of suspended centre Joseph Aukuso-Suaalii and has spoken out about reports that paint him as the 'bad guy' for being proud and outspoken about his people and his culture.

Mitchell comes from Taree and his parents are of Aboriginal descent from the Birrbay and Wiradjuri people, a heritage he is extremely proud of. 

He told the Sydney Morning Herald that he had to make a decision early in his career whether to keep his mouth shut and focus only on his football, or be a strong voice for his people.

'I honestly think back and think if I had just shut my mouth, like everyone is saying to do now, I'd be the best player in the world,' he said.

'I was 18 coming in, I was like a young Reece Walsh. As I gradually started to grow and find a voice, it became about 'OK, what am I passionate about?'. That's my people. That's my culture. That's my family.

'That's all I started talking about and that's when that picture was painted of being a bad guy. Talking about what I believed in, a lot of people disagreed. That made them turn against me.

'Let me play. Allow me to be who I am. Don't make up these yarns to portray me to your audience as a bad man. I just feel like people hate me, but they don't know me.' 

Mitchell has a small group of close friends and doesn’t often let others, especially the media, see his true self.

At 27, he admits he does this to protect himself, but he also sometimes seeks approval and reads comments on social media. 

“Because a lot of people paint me as the villain all the time, so I just shut the doors on who I am as a person,” he said.

“That’s how I am now because of how I’ve been shit on. If media just actually shut up and let me play ... honestly, if you just shut up and let me play, I honestly think I’d amaze you how I play the game.

“I haven’t forgotten how to play to footy. I know how to entertain. But everything else is weighing me down. I wish the media would just let me play and let me be me, you’d get more good stories than bad. But that doesn’t sell papers.

“I don’t need to go and look at the comments for people to tell me I’ve played a shit game.

“If I’ve played a shit game I know I have played a shit game. But at the same time if I have a good game, I’m going in there to read them. It’s not a good space to be in.'

Mitchell's comments come after a rumoured rift between him and new NSW coach Michael Maguire after the Souths superstar was overlooked for Origin I.

Maguire has moved quickly to put those rumours to bed. 

'I've known Latrell a long time, I guess there are storylines, but I really enjoy his company,' Maguire said on Monday morning.

'He's good, he's in a good place and as a player, he wears his heart on his sleeve a little bit.

'(South Sydney) have been through a little bit, but they're in a good place and that's showing in the team. He's doing well and he's now got his opportunity.

'Latrell is playing great footy, I think everyone can see that. We don't need to dig into that, it's more around himself.

'He's got a smile on his face, I went and watched him play, he's got a lot of spirit about what he's doing, and that's resonating in his footy.

'We all know he's a talented world-class player ... especially over the last month he was growing towards what we know Latrell can do.

'Getting Latrell back in, I'm sure the boys will feel the confidence around that, but also too he knows he's just got to play his part in the team.'