Warriors coach backs loophole for Walsh

Ed Jackson | February 23, 2022

Warriors coach Nathan Brown has endorsed the idea of the NRL club using the loophole that will allow Latrell Mitchell to make an early return from suspension to help reduce Reece Walsh’s ban.

Mitchell was on Tuesday cleared to return in round two against Melbourne after the NRL judiciary agreed his absence from the All Stars game could count as a match served in the six-game suspension he received for the high shot on Sydney Rooster Joey Manu at the back end of last season..

The South Sydney star’s bid was based on the argument he would have been a certain selection for the Indigenous All Stars in the February 12 match.

It’s a rule that is similar to the way players can have State of Origin matches counted towards bans if the judiciary agrees players would have featured if not suspended.

Walsh, who was eligible and keen to play for the Maori All Stars team, is currently set to miss the first two games of the 2022 season after he was charged with cocaine possession.

Warriors chief executive Cameron George has indicated he’ll cite Mitchell’s case as a reason to have the All Stars game count towards Walsh’s ban, freeing the youngster up to play in the club’s round two match against Gold Coast.

“We’d love that to happen,” Brown told reporters on Wednesday.

“It’s great that the All Stars game for Latrell has been taken into account because that game – as you saw – the spirit, the way that game was played … it meant a lot to the Maori boys and it means a lot to the Indigenous boys.

“For me the Indigenous team is no different to State of Origin or for the Maori boys.”

The Warriors aren’t the only club seeking to use Mitchell’s example with Melbourne also poised to make an application for Brandon Smith.

The Storm hooker copped a one-match ban and a $15,000 fine for his role in the “white powder” video that also involved Cameron Munster and Chris Lewis at season’s end.

Smith would have been eligible to play for the Maori team in the All Stars game if not suspended and the Storm will seek to have that counted towards his ban, freeing him to play in the season opener against Wests Tigers.