NSW State of Origin coach Brad Fittler has indicated that Latrell Mitchell is still on track for a Blues return despite copping a "ridiculous" month-long ban.
Mitchell was suspended for four games over a grade two dangerous contact charge, having clumsily whacked Wests Tigers winger David Nofoaluma with a late, high shot.
The ban was widely panned and leaves Mitchell sidelined up until the brink of Origin selection. The Rabbitohs superstar will have two games, against the Eels and Panthers, to shore up his claims.
"Latrell's, I can't see that being four weeks," Fittler said on Wide World of Sports' Freddy and the Eighth.
"Four weeks, that'll be [rounds] seven, eight, nine, 10. They (Origin teams) get picked between 12 and 13.
"So there's still a couple of weeks. The key's got to be he's just got to stay fit. Everyone's been very impressed with the way he's started the season."
Fittler said that Mitchell had deserved a suspension but a month was excessive.
"He still was careless, so I think he does deserve some time on the sideline," Fittler said. "But four weeks, it all seems a bit ridiculous."
It remains to be seen how Mitchell might fit in for a NSW return, having not played since being axed after the 2019 series opener. His form in the No.1 jersey for South Sydney has been superb.
However, James Tedesco and Ryan Papenhuyzen are the clear fullback front-runners, while Jack Wighton, Tom Trbojevic, Clint Gutherson, Stephen Crichton, Zac Lomax and Campbell Graham may all be in the mix for centre positions.
Mitchell starred in the 2018 Origin series win for NSW, playing as a centre, but was unhappy with his axing by Fittler during 2019; a situation since smoothed over. He was absent as the Blues handed the shield back to Queensland last season in a major upset, having been ineligible due to injury.
Fittler said that Mitchell was an "aggressive" player, while fellow Blues legend Andrew Johns said that the Nofoaluma incident may have appeared worse in slow motion than what it actually was.
"I've only seen Latrell's in super-slow motion; the game isn't played in super-slow motion, which I've been saying for years," Johns said on Freddy and the Eighth.
"I think it was more of a reaction sort of thing. He's not looking at him ... if he was looking at him and went 'doink', four to six weeks.
"But it was more sort of a reaction. I only ever saw it in super-slow motion, which doesn't make it look great, but if you show it in real time..."
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from WWOS https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/latrell-mitchell-ban-nsw-state-of-origin-brad-fittler/ccd6baf8-b896-420a-9d92-f8f5d1e960ee
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