Reece Walsh and Latrell Mitchell are reportedly among the NRL’s worst performers when it comes to meeting the game’s media requirements—but are clubs protecting their stars or failing their obligations?
The two marquee players feature prominently on an internal register tracking media appearances across the competition, with the NRL now examining how it can enforce its existing rules more effectively.
Under those requirements, clubs must ensure every player is made available to the media at least once every three weeks.
No formal breach notice or punishment has been announced against Walsh, Mitchell or their respective clubs.
What is the NRL’s secret list?
According to News Corp’s report, the NRL maintains a database recording media opportunities completed by the competition’s 510 full-time players and their clubs.
The register reportedly shows that Brisbane Broncos fullback Walsh and South Sydney centre Mitchell have been among the least accessible marquee players during the 2026 season.
Sydney Roosters prop Spencer Leniu and Mitchell’s Rabbitohs teammate David Fifita were also named among the players who have made relatively few media appearances.
Walsh reportedly completed his first club press conference of the season in June. It remains his only in-season club media appearance, although he also spoke while representing Queensland.
Mitchell, meanwhile, ended an approximately 18-month self-imposed media ban when he appeared at a press conference earlier this season. The report states that he has completed only one midweek interview during the campaign.
Fifita has reportedly fronted one press conference across the past 12 months.
Those figures come from the reported internal tracker and have not been independently published by the NRL.
NRL seeking greater access to its stars
The league has reportedly contacted media organisations in recent months to gather feedback about how clubs and players are meeting their obligations.
“The NRL is determined to ensure the game’s most bankable commodities—such as Walsh, Mitchell and Fifita—are doing more to promote the code,” Code Sports reported.
The issue has become more significant following the ARLC’s record $5.3 billion broadcast agreement with Foxtel Group, Nine and Sky New Zealand.
That seven-year agreement begins in 2028 and represents the largest broadcast and media partnership secured by an Australian sport.
The Rugby League Players Association is negotiating for players to receive an increased share of the game’s revenue from the new deal. Greater access to leading players could form part of the wider discussions between the RLPA and the ARLC.
The NRL is reportedly considering a more formal media-rotation tracker to ensure clubs provide access to players fairly.
Bennett refuses to expose players unnecessarily
South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett has defended his decision to shield players from the media when he believes the attention could negatively affect them.
“I’m a bit of a fan of some of them not being available sometimes,” Bennett said.
“You beat them up big time, and it has an impact on them, there’s no doubt about that. They’re better off saying less and just playing football.”
Bennett also indicated he would accept the possibility of club sanctions if he believed protecting a player was the correct decision.
“The NRL can do it, but I’ll stand behind my player every time I think he shouldn’t be in the media and the limelight,” he said.
“I’ve seen players driven out of the game in this country because of media exposure, so I’m no fan of just having open slather for players.”
Bennett’s position highlights the central tension in the debate. Broadcasters, supporters and sponsors want greater access to the competition’s biggest names, while clubs argue that player welfare must remain the priority.
Walsh and Mitchell are two of rugby league’s most recognisable personalities and command enormous audiences through their performances and social-media platforms. That makes their limited traditional media involvement particularly noticeable.
The issue is therefore not an allegation of serious misconduct against either player. It is a question of whether their clubs have adequately satisfied the NRL’s media-access requirements—and what the league is prepared to do if they have not.
For more on the players involved, read about Mitchell’s ongoing injury concerns at South Sydney.
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