LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
Souths coach Jason Demetriou has admitted that he had no knowledge of Rodney Churchill, the son of South Sydney legend Clive Churchill, when he was first informed of Churchill's comments about Latrell Mitchell.
Churchill recently apologized after referring to Mitchell as a "cancer on the club" and an "embarrassment to the No.1 jersey" in text messages that were made public.
As a result of the controversy, South Sydney players have decided to boycott the Clive Churchill medal in the near future, and the NRL is reviewing Rodney's role as the presenter of the prestigious award.
Demetriou described Churchill's comments as disrespectful but confessed that he was unaware of who Churchill was initially.
Churchill also referred to Mitchell as an "impostor" and claimed that the fullback prioritized the Aboriginal cause over South Sydney.
The text message was reportedly sent to Souths chairman Nick Pappas following the team's loss to Parramatta in the Indigenous Round in May.
This incident occurred during a turbulent week for Souths, as former player Sam Burgess had recently quit as an assistant to Demetriou due to disagreements over the treatment of Mitchell and Cody Walker.
Souths now face a crucial game against the Roosters, with their chances of making the finals hanging in the balance.
If they fail to secure a spot in the top eight, they will become the only team in the NRL era to lead the competition after round 11 and miss out.