Best in Blue: Latrell Mitchell is finally making State of Origin his own personal playground

Two years ago Latrell Mitchell was frozen out of State of Origin. Now, as New South Wales rings in a new era, the Blues superstar is finally making the game’s greatest rivalry his own personal playground ⁠— and boy does it look good.

In 2019, Latrell Mitchell was axed from Origin.

Fittler said it was due to motivation issues from the end of 2018, as well as the then-Rooster’s efforts in games one and two of the 2019 series. Whether or not the year before played a role, Mitchell had whimpered in that year’s battles.

Considering just how big the wraps were on the Taree youngster, it was a surprise he’d been cut from the do-or-die third game. Many had already began calling Latrell ⁠— then just 21 years old ⁠— a future great of the game, and a State of Origin icon. The most ambitious of Blues fans even whispered “Immortal.”

But all the same, Freddy Fittler swung that Origin axe.

Just over two years later, Latrell Mitchell has well and truly announced his return ⁠— and hopefully this time, his permanent addition ⁠— to Origin folklore.

That resounding cry came in Townsville in early June. Two weeks later, it echoed again, this time around Queensland’s heartland stadium, Suncorp. It was an announcement that would have sent shivers down any Maroon fans’ spine. It was Latrell confirming he’s ready to step up. To make the State of Origin arena his own.

No one Blue won the 2021 series, which is 2-0 so far with a dead rubber in New South Wales still to come. Tom Trbojevic scored a hat-trick in game one as the Blues marched to a monster 50-6 victory.

James Tedesco and Josh Addo-Carr were the main men at the heart of the Game 2 lockout, when the victorious New South Welshman kept Queensland to zero.

But, in this The Sporting Base writer’s eyes, not one of the boys in New South Wales blue stood taller than Latrell Mitchell in the first, and in the end decisive, 160 minutes of State of Origin this year. He has already put his hand up for player of the 2021 series.

The kid’s wrap sheet is cracking: three tries, including a 90-metre breakaway that swung the momentum at Suncorp Stadium. A goal. Two try assists. Fifteen ⁠— yep, fifteen ⁠— tackle breaks. Two line breaks. 344 metres made across the two games. And that was just in attack. He added 22 tackles too, missing just four.

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On the field too, Latrell was bollocking, loud, and boisterous. He led from the front, and inspired his Blues teammates to greater and greater heights.

Latrell man of the match for mine, Tedesco good yes, but Mitchell made all the gamebreaking moments – including incredible interception – and lead from the front on offensive defence. Incredible #StateofOrigin

— Isaac McIntyre (@isaac_mcintyre6) June 27, 2021

The 24-year-old isn’t sitting back on his laurels either. Any footy player would dream of having the impact Latrell Mitchell had in a single Origin game, let alone two.

But the Rabbitohs superstar wants more from his, hopefully long-lasting, New South Wales career. The victorious Blues will be celebrating this week, but game three awaits them next month. And beyond that, Mitchell says, there’s a chance to really mark their names in the State of Origin history books.

“There’s a hunger there,” he said.

“NSW have obviously lost for a very long time and as if you could beat that Queensland team they had over that period ⁠— it was unbelievable. As a NSW supporter, you could see we were never going to win.

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“It was a credit to the NSW men who went out and battled every year. But this year is different. We are built different and the team is built different.”

“I reckon we can go another level, to be honest.

“I can’t wait to build up the combinations even better. I have a good feeling, a good vibe around the team. It’s the best team I have been involved in.”

Mitchell is already dreaming of one-upping his own sensational game one and two efforts when the Blues finally get a chance to run out on home soil (lockdowns permitting) early next month. He’s made the claim that New South Wales is building a “golden era” to rival Queensland’s dynasty. And he wants to show it; not in five years, or next year. As soon as possible.

• Read More: The curious case of Latrell Mitchell — rugby league’s enigmatic icon

There’s one more chance for that this year, the Blues superstar says: “We wrapped up the series, but the job is not done. We will switch on and get the job done [in game three].”

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