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NRL boss Andrew Abdo says the league is "standing behind its players" after a fan was ejected from Penrith's match against South Sydney after allegedly racially abusing Rabbitohs star Latrell Mitchell.
Key points:
- Police are reviewing footage after Latrell Mitchell was allegedly racially abused at half-time
- Souths coach Jason Demetriou called for a life ban for the alleged perpetrator
- The Panthers went on to win 16-10 to get off the mark in season 2023
The incident was alleged to have occurred as Mitchell left the field at half-time with footage showing Mitchell and a number of other Rabbitohs turning around and looking into the stands as they made their way into the sheds at Penrith Stadium.
Police are currently reviewing footage, and the Panthers later released a statement confirming it was aware of the incident and would work with the NRL to investigate further.
"Any form of racism or vilification will not be tolerated in our sport. We will not accept this behaviour from anyone," Abdo said.
"We are working with the stadium and the club to get all the facts. The integrity unit will investigate fully.
"We stand behind our players and commend them for calling out this behaviour."
Mitchell has taken a stand against racism in the past and reported racial abuse from online trolls to the police and the NRL integrity unit in 2021.
Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou called for life bans for any racist behaviour aimed at players.
"Where does it end? It's just not on. I shouldn't have to come here as a coach and lead a group of players to be racially abused. It's not on," Demetriou said.
"It's not what our game is about and we have to stamp it out completely. The NRL clubs have to get rid of it. Life bans, anybody wants to racially abuse, get them out of the game, we don't want their support. It has to end.
"'[Mitchell] is sick of it. Why wouldn't he be? He should be able to come here as a star of our game and not be racially abused. Who cares what colour he is? It's not on.
"I don't understand how that happens in our day and age. I can't get my head around how a young kid thinks that's the language to be using. I don't care what jersey he's wearing. Get them out of our game.
"From what I understand, security have done a great job identifying who it is, the club has done a great job of identifying who it is and now we'll take it through the police.
"We'll go all the way, as far as we can with it. As a club, we'll stand right by Latrell. It's just not on. As far as I'm concerned, we go as far as we can take it."
Mitchell has been the target of racial abuse before and reported several online trolls to the police after they sent him abusive messages in 2021.
The New South Wales and Australian star has spoken passionately in the past on Indigenous rights and anti-racism campaigns.
"Latrell answers his critics with his character every week. He continually shows the quality person that he is. This is not something Latrell just cops on the footy field, this is something he's had to deal with his whole life," Demetriou said.
"All Indigenous people do. I can't get my head around it to be honest, I don't understand in Australia how anyone can be raised like that.
"Latrell is a real role model for our game, we love him at our club, he stands for Indigenous people and he stands for good people.
"He'll handle it and we'll handle it and we'll support him as a club. But he shouldn't have to handle it, he shouldn't have to keep dealing with this. It's just rubbish.
"I just get worried about Latrell or any Indigenous player in our organisation. Where, as a game, do we say 'no, this isn't happening'? There has to be hard and fast rules, if anyone comes close to getting racial they are completely ruled out of our game.
"If it's a young kid, pull his parents out as well. It's just not on.
"Why should you have to cop it? I can't understand how he feels, I haven't had to grow up with this but he has. If it was my child I'd be ashamed and embarrassed that my child even thought to speak like that."
Panthers hold on for important win
The Panthers claimed their first win of the season, holding on in a frenetic finish to beat the Rabbitohs 16-10.
The scoreline did not do justice to a contest dominated by the Panthers, but which was almost snatched by the Rabbitohs and their chief architect Mitchell.
After coming off second-best in a tackle with Alex Johnston, Cleary opted not to kick for goal when an Izack Tago try extended the Panthers' lead to 8-0 before the break. He managed to play the game out, albeit with ankle strapping and a limp.
The ankle complaint came at the end of a dominant 40 minutes for the Panthers, who could have been up by more than 10-0 at half-time had recruit Luke Garner not been denied two tries and Isaah Yeo one.
Cleary terrorised the back three with his high kicks, especially inexperienced winger Izaac Thompson, and got the result he was after in the third minute.
The ball bounced in the red zone and travelled through hands to Stephen Crichton to score on the Panthers' right edge.
The Rabbitohs did well to rebuff the Penrith juggernaut as it rolled forward and looked set to go into the break trailing by only four points.
That was until Jarome Luai broke free down the left side and managed to kick for the speedy Tago even as he was tackled.
South Sydney were slow to come out of half-time and, having been battered through the middle the whole first half, appeared too tired to mount a comeback when Panthers winger Brian To'o sailed over on the right side in the 52nd minute.
However Mitchell's ball-playing down the left gave the Rabbitohs a sniff, pulling the scoreline back to 16-10 with a try by Isaiah Tass in the final two minutes.
But Souths had left their run too late as Penrith held on for a vital win.
ABC/AAP