The Latrell Mitchell Interview

[Rooster1908]

They would not have been picked in the first place if there was racism toward them. If they were racist toward Latrell & Walker why wasnt Addo Carr punted as well & why did they replace Latrell with a bloke that also has an indigenous background?
They were both dropped because they played crap & NSW lost.

Just to clarify what you have said is what I was trying to say but you said it much clearer.
Thanks

[ism22]

They would not have been picked in the first place if there was racism toward them. If they were racist toward Latrell & Walker why wasnt Addo Carr punted as well & why did they replace Latrell with a bloke that also has an indigenous background?
They were both dropped because they played crap & NSW lost.

Workplace discrimination can be very subtle and regularly comes in the form of unexplained 'merits based' omissions. For example a previous employer of mine got managers to compile a list of 'people who are suitable for development' that significantly informed an independent process for incremental promotions. They're a large law firm that's now in a lot of trouble for this kinda stuff. I didn't rat them out because you're shyte scared of being 'that person' who tries to sue a top tier law firm (I mean good luck to you... even if you win, nobody will hire you). However while working as a PA for somebody relatively senior, I saw how this list was compiled (followed by hurried e-mails saying 'remember that you never saw this list... delete it right away'). It was a farce and I know for fact it was used to filter out people who had been seeing psychologists. They wouldn't flat out sack them but they had lots of different tricks that usually involved them working 14 hours a day (thy were all massive over-achievers) but having no access to career development opportunities. The lingo used internally was all like 'such and such went crazy' or [when people called the list dodgy] 'you wouldn't want people to think you're crazy, would you?'

Sure, that's a different example but if people wanna discriminate they won't be stupid enough to do it by (for example) sacking all of the indigenous players who refused to sing the anthem coz I mean go figure. Like any bully, they'll concoct a set of unexplained events that go above and beyond the normal in order to ostracise their target without hurting anybody else around them.

Not saying Freddie's done this. However if Latrell's the target of discrimination and it's making him feel uncomfortable, he'd know.

[Chookies74]

or as Mickie said, he and Walker played shit and were dropped. Replaced by a player of indigenous background, who didn't have a great game, but at least he put in 100%, and so was retained for game 3.
ism22 - you can seriously over analyse stuff sometimes. It's not that complicated, pls watch a replay, Walker, seriously out of his depth, big L, did nothing, so both got dropped.

[Mickie Lane]

Workplace discrimination can be very subtle and regularly comes in the form of unexplained 'merits based' omissions. For example a previous employer of mine got managers to compile a list of 'people who are suitable for development' that significantly informed an independent process for incremental promotions. They're a large law firm that's now in a lot of trouble for this kinda stuff. I didn't rat them out because you're shyte scared of being 'that person' who tries to sue a top tier law firm (I mean good luck to you... even if you win, nobody will hire you). However while working as a PA for somebody relatively senior, I saw how this list was compiled (followed by hurried e-mails saying 'remember that you never saw this list... delete it right away'). It was a farce and I know for fact it was used to filter out people who had been seeing psychologists. They wouldn't flat out sack them but they had lots of different tricks that usually involved them working 14 hours a day (thy were all massive over-achievers) but having no access to career development opportunities. The lingo used internally was all like 'such and such went crazy' or [when people called the list dodgy] 'you wouldn't want people to think you're crazy, would you?'

Sure, that's a different example but if people wanna discriminate they won't be stupid enough to do it by (for example) sacking all of the indigenous players who refused to sing the anthem coz I mean go figure. Like any bully, they'll concoct a set of unexplained events that go above and beyond the normal in order to ostracise their target without hurting anybody else around them.

Not saying Freddie's done this. However if Latrell's the target of discrimination and it's making him feel uncomfortable, he'd know.

Okay.
Thank you Judge Jism & I hope nobody has to do any serious prison time over it.

[ism22]

or as Mickie said, he and Walker played shit and were dropped. Replaced by a player of indigenous background, who didn't have a great game, but at least he put in 100%, and so was retained for game 3.
ism22 - you can seriously over analyse stuff sometimes. It's not that complicated, pls watch a replay, Walker, seriously out of his depth, big L, did nothing, so both got dropped.

I'm sorry that you see it that way. Just highlighting the fact that bullying/harassment goes pretty deep. Not saying it happened, but the suggestion that 'oh he played a rubbish game [everybody did if you watch... not so closely] and he called up another indigenous player [who had a lot less going on in his personal life]' doesn't make discrimination impossible.

I repeat - bullying/discrimination is often very subtle and calculated. As an advocate against workplace discrimination (having seen it ruin the lives of many talented friends/colleagues), I'm willing to accept that if Latrell found something felt funny about it all, there may well have been something funny about it.

Noting, Freddy said he wanted players with no personal troubles. He didn't refer to specific elements of Latrell's performance but it's not too difficult to see how that could discriminate against somebody on the basis of aboriginality or mental health conditions (for example). Latrell was then picked for Australia. It would be odd if Freddy overlooked the Australian centre again in 2020...

[Johnny Tobin]

They would not have been picked in the first place if there was racism toward them. If they were racist toward Latrell & Walker why wasnt Addo Carr punted as well & why did they replace Latrell with a bloke that also has an indigenous background?
They were both dropped because they played crap & NSW lost.

It was Mundine 101

[Chookies74]

"Latrell was then picked for Australia. It would be odd if Freddy overlooked the Australian centre again in 2020..."
did you see how poorly he played for Australia with 10 min's to go, doing nothing, Teddy and Boyd were busting a gut to get something going. C'mon mate, get back to reality and stop the conspiracy, implied Freddy is a bully racist stuff with your 1000 word retorts. He just doesn't put in enough when the team - Roosters/Blues/AUS need it most. That's the problem, nothing more sinister and covert.

[stringaz]

I think he shot himself in the foot with the INTENTION of not singing it other than just not singing.

Dragging his moral crusade (whether you agree with it or not) onto the field or as close to it as possible, buckled him mentally.
He is still pretty young after all, and I believe it put him in two minds on the night.

Walker, JAC seemed unaffected but walker is just shit and JAC goes hard anyway.

Like said earlier, half the players mumble/don't know the words who cares if they sing it or not. Perhaps just remain respectful throughout?

Call me cynical, a personal belief not to sing is ok but I think it does **** all to help indigenous communities more than boots on the ground.

Like glueing your hands to the road in some action/hope to save the environment, better off doing the ol reduce/reuse/recycle, turn lights off, plant trees, clean up a beach etc.

[Old Man Rooster]

I think he shot himself in the foot with the INTENTION of not singing it other than just not singing.

Dragging his moral crusade (whether you agree with it or not) onto the field or as close to it as possible, buckled him mentally.
He is still pretty young after all, and I believe it put him in two minds on the night.

Walker, JAC seemed unaffected but walker is just shit and JAC goes hard anyway.

Like said earlier, half the players mumble/don't know the words who cares if they sing it or not. Perhaps just remain respectful throughout?

Call me cynical, a personal belief not to sing is ok but I think it does **** all to help indigenous communities more than boots on the ground.

Like glueing your hands to the road in some action/hope to save the environment, better off doing the ol reduce/reuse/recycle, turn lights off, plant trees, clean up a beach etc.

Good post.

[Thirteen]

Why publicly state that you are not going to sing the anthem. It’s purely a cry for attention. If you don’t want to sing it then just don’t. There would be nothing wrong with this.

[Thirteen]

"Latrell was then picked for Australia. It would be odd if Freddy overlooked the Australian centre again in 2020..."
did you see how poorly he played for Australia with 10 min's to go, doing nothing, Teddy and Boyd were busting a gut to get something going. C'mon mate, get back to reality and stop the conspiracy, implied Freddy is a bully racist stuff with your 1000 word retorts. He just doesn't put in enough when the team - Roosters/Blues/AUS need it most. That's the problem, nothing more sinister and covert.

Not unusual to play for Australia but not your state.

[Old Man Rooster]

Why publicly state that you are not going to sing the anthem. It’s purely a cry for attention. If you don’t want to sing it then just don’t. There would be nothing wrong with this.

Its not about attention. The song is intrinsically offensive to him.

[ism22]

Why publicly state that you are not going to sing the anthem. It’s purely a cry for attention. If you don’t want to sing it then just don’t. There would be nothing wrong with this.

Because you want to make a valid statement about how it makes you feel.

Other countries have (for example) whole verses in a traditional language and have systematically made sure their anthem accounts for traditional custodians of the land...etc (particularly when there has been discrimination + genocide...etc).

Many sporting events have been the stage for such messages. They are particularly meaningful because they highlight our tendency to be okay with racial minorities so long as they shut up and don't bring any sociocultural baggage with them. For example the NRL will do an indigenous round where they roll out a didge and get a few people to do a traditional dance but when a player says 'don't sing that song because it hurts me', fans like you come out and say 'STFU how dare you distract from the sport!! Your feelings aren't important and I disagree with them'. That's exactly why you don't STFU... because you believe in social progression and wanna influence the social pendulum for the benefit of future generations.

I can imagine a day in the next ~40 years where instead of learning 'beneath our radiant southern cross...etc' (plus the other verses that nobody even knows) we'll hear a new verse of our anthem in a traditional language that correctly represents were our country came from. If we all just shut up and refuse to take a stand, we'll be singing 'girt by sea' forever.

[zac]

Why publicly state that you are not going to sing the anthem. It’s purely a cry for attention. If you don’t want to sing it then just don’t. There would be nothing wrong with this.

I believe he's never sung the anthem before the game and he only talked about it this year because a journo asked him.

[The Axe]

I believe he's never sung the anthem before the game and he only talked about it this year because a journo asked him.

Perhaps like me, latrell needs a beer in his hand to sing national anthem