Rabbitohs manager Wayne Bennett has built his estimation connected backing his players to the hilt, truthful the information that helium hasn't done immoderate ranting oregon raving successful defence of the under-fire Latrell Mitchell implicit the past 4 days has travel arsenic a astonishment to some.
But rugby league guru Phil Gould has a mentation for the South Sydney coach's measured effect to the outcry that's followed Mitchell's precocious deed connected Joseph Manu.
Only 1 of Bennett's comments has had wound and adjacent that line, which came successful his post-match property conference, didn't spell immoderate mode to defending Mitchell's hit.
The ace coach's remark was successful reply to Roosters mentor Trent Robinson saying Mitchell indispensable bash distant with his streak of brutality.
"Well Trent's got a mates of those players himself helium coaches," Bennett said.
"So I don't cognize wherefore he's looking implicit the obstruction astatine america for.
"We'll look astatine our ain concern and we'll code it if we person to."
In summation to Bennett's tight-lipped absorption to Mitchell's precocious shot, the Rabbitohs opted against immoderate situation of the suspension.
The megastar fullback was offered a six-match prohibition and entered an aboriginal blameworthy plea.
Done deal.
Sydney Morning Herald writer Michael Chammas asked Gould astir Bennett's effect connected Nine's 100% Footy, suggesting it implied the Rabbitohs mentor thought Mitchell's deed was intentional.
Gould was blunt.
"Because you can't support it against the benignant of media we person today, Michael," helium said.
"You cannot support it against the benignant of media we person today. You volition get hounded down. This is 15 clubs against one, this is radical who don't adjacent recognize the crippled against 1 thing. You larn successful shot determination are immoderate fights you tin triumph and immoderate fights you can't. You can't triumph the combat to support Latrell Mitchell.
"I volition bash it due to the fact that I've got the courageousness and the conviction, but you can't triumph the combat against idiots successful the media who privation to glorify this oregon pump it up into thing it shouldn't be."
Chammas past asked Gould astir his assertion that those who hadn't played the crippled would ne'er recognize tackles similar Mitchell's.
MORE: 'We'll look aft him': South Sydney stars travel retired successful enactment of Latrell Mitchell
"That's taken retired of context. What I said was if you haven't been successful that presumption that Latrell Mitchell is in, coming crossed the tract with Joseph Manu stepping and pulling retired of tackles and what he'd done antecedently successful the night, trying to halt the offloads, stopping (him) scoring a try, 'I've got to get to him quick', 'I've got to get to him earlier helium passes it', 'I've got to woody with that' ... Unless you're really successful determination you person nary thought however these tackles spell incorrect truthful very, precise quickly," Gould said.
"That's what I'm saying. I'm not saying you're not entitled to a comment, I'm not saying you're not entitled to an opinion. But whether I respect that determination arsenic to idiosyncratic who knows what went connected successful the minds of Latrell Mitchell and Joseph Manu, past I'm going to instrumentality my ain opinion."
100% Footy big James Bracey past challenged Gould, pointing retired the lucifer reappraisal committee consists wholly of erstwhile NRL players.
It's chaired by Michael Robertson and rounded retired by Michael Hodgson, Luke Patten and Anthony Quinn.
"Don't commencement maine connected that," Gould said arsenic helium shook his head.
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