NRL superstar Latrell Mitchell has opened up about his self-imposed alcohol ban and the constant battle to control his ‘inner beast’.
The Rabbitohs fullback, 24, returns from suspension on Thursday night when his team face the Melbourne Storm at AAMI Park.
It will be Mitchell’s first game since he broke the cheekbone of former Roosters teammate Joey Manu last August.
The reckless incident saw Mitchell rubbed out for six weeks, and in early October he was forced to watch on as Penrith beat South Sydney 14-12 in a gripping NRL grand final.
Many rugby league experts believe if Mitchell lined up for the Rabbitohs at Suncorp Stadium they would have won the 2021 premiership.
This week Mitchell revealed he has been ‘dry’ for 10 weeks – and has never felt better.
NRL superstar Latrell Mitchell has opened up about his self-imposed alcohol ban and the constant battle to control his ‘inner beast’
The Rabbitohs fullback, 24, returns from suspension on Thursday night when his team face the Melbourne Storm at AAMI Park
Sydney Roosters centre Joey Manu (pictured) didn’t play in the finals after fracturing his cheekbone following a horror tackle from Latrell Mitchell
‘I love a beer, don’t get me wrong. But just for now I want to get to peak performance and play some good footy,’ he said.
‘You have to sacrifice to get what you want. It’s not massive, it’s just a lifestyle change. I’m pretty proud to be able to do that and my headspace is clear.’
On the field, Mitchell knows he has to limit his moments of madness to be an asset for the Rabbitohs.
‘Its about controlling the beast I have inside me,’ he told Fox Sports.
‘I don’t need to change the way I play, because I play the game the way it should be played. It’s more controlling that aggression part, knowing when to use it.’
When quizzed on the highly anticipated showdown with the Roosters on March 25 – and Manu – Mitchell is well aware his former teammates will be ‘headhunting him’ at Accor Stadium in Sydney’s west.
He added he still regrets the incident with Manu, before adding ‘rugby league is better with Latrell and Joey in it’ and that players of their class are the reason ‘fans pay to sit in their seats.’
Mitchell and his South Sydney teammates will look to put a dent in Craig Bellamy’s 500th game in charge of Melbourne on Thursday night.
Bellamy has won three premierships with the Storm after replacing Mark Murray ahead of the 2003 season.
Latrell Mitchell may continue his alcohol ban for the entire season, and after a long lay-off is pumped to return on Thursday night
If Mitchell stays fit, he will be one of the first names on the NSW Blues team sheet for State of Origin in 2022
Source: | This article originally belongs to Dailymail.co.uk