The South Sydney bench let out a collective ‘oh no’ when Latrell Mitchell decided to launch a two-point field goal from near halfway, but there was no need to doubt someone when he’s the “best player in the comp”.
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Mitchell’s left boot whacked the Steeden 49 metres in driving rain to complete a stunning comeback to help Souths end their four-match losing streak with a famous 22-14 win over the Broncos which he sealed with a cheeky try as the siren sounded.
The audacity to attempt a field goal in those conditions when the safe play was to kick to the corner and play for golden point tells you everything you need to know about a man who embraces the big moments and invariably delivers.
“He’s a big-time player. He’s probably the best player in the comp when he’s on,” Keaon Koloamatangi said after the game.
“That’s Latrell, that’s how he is. He’s a big-time player who makes big plays, and I’m happy that he’s on our team.
“When he was about to kick it, everyone was like ‘oh no’ because he was 50 out.
“As soon as he kicked it, we all knew it looked good so we were like ‘oh yes’.
“That’s Trell. He’s an instinctive player who has such a good feel for the game. Anyone else in the comp can’t do that, except for him.”
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While his teammates went wild, Mitchell simply turned around and headed back for his next job.
The superstar fullback didn’t want to speak after the game, but his teammates were more than happy to give him the praise he deserves as he did everything in his powers to earn a spot in the Blues side for the Origin opener.
“He’s had a lot of those moments and I think he just cherishes it,” Koloamatangi said.
“He’s very humble and very quiet. He’s just a nice guy. I’m happy he’s on our team because he’s a great guy.
“(He was so calm after he kicked it) because he knows he can do that. He does that at training as well. He always puts extras in at training and is always one of the last people on the field.
“Hard work pays off when no one sees it.”
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It wasn’t just his attacking brilliance that got Souths home, with Mitchell producing two try-saving tackles to deny Payne Haas and Deine Mariner.
But he wasn’t the only one who defended stoutly, with Koloamatangi producing his best game of the year with 36 tackles and 23 runs for 203 metres.
The forwards had been challenged by Wayne Bennett who shook up the front row, with Koloamatangi moving to the middle and dominating against Brisbane’s stars when his team needed him most.
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“Wayne put trust me in that I could play in the middle,” he said.
“He trusted me with leading from the front, and I just tried my best. I’m happy we got the two points and hopefully we can build on it.
“The best pack out of both teams will usually win the game because you set the foundation for the backs.
“We haven’t been like that the past couple of weeks, and I feel like we did a good job tonight and got one over one of the best forward packs in the NRL.”
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