LeagueNews.co | Cooper McEnroe
In the latest development of the Latrell Mitchell saga, South Sydney players have decided to boycott the Clive Churchill medal due to comments made by the NRL Immortal's son, Rodney Churchill.
Churchill launched a scathing attack on Mitchell, calling him "lazy" and a "cancer on the club", and even went as far as labeling him "an embarrassment to the No.1 jersey".
These remarks have clearly struck a nerve within the Rabbitohs team.
The Daily Telegraph reported that Souths players have made the decision to snub the Clive Churchill medal in response to Churchill's comments.
The medal is traditionally awarded to the player of the match in the NRL grand final and was presented by Rodney Churchill himself last year.
However, if a Souths player were to win the medal in the foreseeable future, they have vowed to refuse to accept it.
This boycott could potentially create awkward and embarrassing situations if the Rabbitohs manage to make a miraculous run to the grand final.
Currently sitting in eighth place heading into the final round of the regular season, they must defeat the Roosters in order to secure a spot in the finals.
If they were to go on and win the grand final, it would be interesting to see how the players would react to being awarded the Clive Churchill medal.
Adding fuel to the fire, a text message allegedly sent by Rodney Churchill to Souths chairman Nick Pappas has surfaced.
The message, reportedly sent back in May after the Rabbitohs' loss to Parramatta in Indigenous Round, has been widely reported by various media outlets.
The content of the message has not been disclosed, but it has surely intensified the tension between Churchill and the club.
This ongoing saga involving Latrell Mitchell and Rodney Churchill has undoubtedly created a divide within the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
The players' decision to boycott the Clive Churchill medal is a strong statement against the derogatory comments made by Churchill.
It remains to be seen how this controversy will unfold and whether it will have any long-term effects on the team dynamics and Mitchell's future at the club.