State of Origin 2024: Cooper Cronk Exposes Worrying Truth About Latrell Mitchell That Could Derail New South Wales As the highly anticipated State of Origin series approaches, concerns have been raised about the fitness and form of key New South Wales player Latrell Mitchell. Former Queensland captain and NRL legend, Cooper Cronk, has expressed his worries about Mitchell’s ability to perform at his peak level, a factor that could potentially derail the Blues’ chances of securing victory. In a recent interview, Cronk pointed to Mitchell’s recent struggles with injuries and inconsistency. He noted that the South Sydney Rabbitohs fullback has missed significant time due to hamstring and quad injuries, which have limited his match fitness and impacted his overall performance. “Latrell is a world-class player, but he hasn’t been able to string together a consistent run of games for New South Wales in recent years,” Cronk said. “The injuries have taken a toll, and it’s showing on the field.” Cronk also expressed concerns about Mitchell’s form in the lead-up to the series. The 25-year-old has struggled to find his rhythm in the NRL, with his defensive lapses and poor kicking game attracting criticism. “Latrell has been making some uncharacteristic errors,” Cronk added. “He’s been caught out of position defensively, and his kicking game hasn’t been up to scratch. If those issues persist, it could cost the Blues dearly.” Cronk’s comments have raised alarm bells within the New South Wales camp. Mitchell is widely regarded as one of the most dangerous attacking players in the NRL, and his absence or diminished form would be a major blow to the team’s chances. Blues coach Brad Fittler has acknowledged Cronk’s concerns but remains confident that Mitchell will be fit and firing for the series. He pointed to the fact that Mitchell has a strong track record in Origin, having been a key player in the Blues’ 2019 series victory. “Latrell is a big-game player,” Fittler said. “I know he’s had some injury concerns, but I’m confident he’ll be ready for Origin. He’s a champion, and we need him at his best.” Whether Mitchell can overcome his recent challenges and deliver for New South Wales in the State of Origin series remains to be seen. Cronk’s worries serve as a stark reminder of the fragility of elite sport and the importance of fitness and form in determining the outcome of a match.NSW’s State of Origin hopes may depend on Latrell Mitchell’s willingness to work and his ability to maintain intensity.NSW’s State of Origin hopes may depend on Latrell Mitchell’s willingness to work and his ability to maintain intensity. Latrell Mitchell will make his first Origin appearance since 2021 when he takes the field for the Blues at the MCG next Wednesday. The South Sydney star has been in excellent form over the past month, and Michael Maguire could no longer ignore him, particularly after Joseph Suaalii received a four-game suspension. Mitchell is emerging as an x-factor for the Blues and one of their keys to victory. However, former teammate Cooper Cronk believes Mitchell’s success hinges on his commitment. Cronk played alongside Mitchell at the Roosters in 2018 and 2019 and has firsthand experience of his ability to perform in big games. Speaking on the Matty Johns podcast this week, the Queensland great said: “It’s really up to Latrell. When he wants to get involved, he can be the best player on the field. When he doesn’t want to get involved, he’s really hard to drag down. “Like you say, ‘make this play,’ and he says, ‘no,’ but then when he wants the ball, he says, ‘just give me the ball.’ It really depends on what mood he’s in.” Cronk believes that Mitchell’s motivation is not a problem, but rather his ability to maintain intensity. “I think the fact will be that when he gets tired and there are moments of tiredness, will he still be able to hold his gloves up? I understand why they picked him. I don’t know why they picked him in Game 2 when they didn’t. I won’t be picking him in Game 1. He is an absolute star and can literally win you the game with one touch. In the 2019 grand final he did exactly that.” Valentine Holmes, who will face off against Mitchell, has promised not to make it easy for him. “It’s been a while since he’s played in the Origin arena so we’ll try to get to him in a way that slows him down a little bit,” the Maroons center said. “I just have to stay in front of him and make my tackles. “In club football, when I play center and he’s a winger (for South Sydney) and he moves in behind, you try to make decisions about him. He hasn’t been center to center because he hasn’t actually played center when I play him. I have played. “He’s quite aggressive, so he’ll probably come out and look to block Walshy (Reece Walsh) and get in between our back five early. We’ve got to be careful with that and make him work a little harder than he did at Souths.”Cooper Cronk Exposes Latrell Mitchell’s Potential Downfall Former Queensland great Cooper Cronk has raised concerns about the future of Latrell Mitchell, warning that the New South Wales star could be derailed by his recent off-field behavior. Speaking on Fox Sports, Cronk said that Mitchell’s recent social media controversies and the ongoing police investigation into an alleged altercation at a Gold Coast nightclub could have a negative impact on his career. “Latrell Mitchell is an incredibly talented player, but he needs to get his off-field life in order,” Cronk said. “These recent incidents are a worry for him and for New South Wales.” Cronk pointed out that Mitchell’s off-field controversies had already started to affect his on-field performance. The South Sydney Rabbitohs fullback had an uncharacteristic error-prone display in the Rabbitohs’ recent NRL loss to the Sydney Roosters. “He made several uncharacteristic mistakes, including a dropped ball and a poor defensive read,” Cronk said. “If he’s not in the right headspace, it’s going to affect his game.” Cronk’s comments echo concerns expressed by other former players and commentators. NRL legend Billy Slater recently said that Mitchell needed to “mature as a person” before he could reach his full potential. New South Wales coach Brad Fittler has also hinted that Mitchell’s off-field behavior could have an impact on his Origin selection. Fittler said that he would be monitoring the situation closely and that Mitchell’s place in the team was not guaranteed. It remains to be seen whether Mitchell can overcome his off-field issues and return to his best form. If he does, he will be a key player for New South Wales in the upcoming State of Origin series. However, if he continues to be distracted by off-field matters, his career could be derailed.