Latrell: Leave me out of Origin

LATRELL Mitchell has sensationally ruled himself out of the State of Origin decider following an outstanding return from injury in South Sydney’s win over Parramatta.

When asked post-match on Saturday night about Origin, Mitchell said his focus was on the Rabbitohs and he was happy for the Blues to stick with Matt Burton and Stephen Crichton in the centres for game three at Suncorp Stadium on July 13.

“Nah, I’m going to shut down those headlines now. I’m going to pull myself out and worry about Souths, “Mitchell told Fox League.

After 40mm of rain in six hours, Souths defied the conditions on a deluged Accor Stadium against Parramatta, chancing their hand early and winning the territorial battle.

With Mitchell back at No.1, Souths got the better of the first half to lead 18-6, playing football in the early stages less suited to the pools of water and mud that presented on Saturday night.

The hosts hung on in steady rain to hammer the Eels 30-12 and stay in the eight.

Jaxson Paulo’s second-half try in the corner put it beyond doubt adding to the pain of inconsistency Parramatta continues to suffer. Beating top four sides but losing the games they are expected to win.

The conditions seemed a throwback of a bygone era and the 20-plus points that had secured nine of the Eels’ 10 wins this season seemed highly unlikely after the first half.

So were the offloads which Parramatta led prior to round 16, averaging 14 per game. The Eels managed just four on a deluged Accor Stadium.

“See the mud on the jerseys, this is 1980s’ stuff,” Dan Ginnane on the call for Fox League. “It’s Panasonic Cup stuff.”

An Alex Johnston intercept leading to a runaway 40m try on half-time was a dagger blow.

It took Johnston to 152 career tries, equalling the legendary former Souths winger Harold Horder and Manu Vatuvei at 13th on the all-time try-scoring list.