Recently suspended South Sydney star Latrell Mitchell and his partner have reportedly been receiving death threats following the fullback's head high shot on Chooks' centre Joey Manu last Friday.
Mitchell's shoulder charge saw his former premiership teammate depart Suncorp Stadium with obvious facial injuries and has since seen the former ex-Rooster slapped with a six-week ban that has ended his season.
Although the sublimely talented Rabbitoh is renowned for playing with high emotions, Mitchell's uncle, Maurice Goolagong, has revealed that the remorseful back and his partner are currently receiving hateful messages in the incident's aftermath.
โHeโs an aggressive player and thatโs the way he plays,โ Goolagong disclosed on Triple M Central Coast.
โWhen he does something right everyone praises him, then thereโs one little incident and theyโre all jumping on him.
โAfter this incident here, even his partner has been getting death threats.โ
The talented, but temperamental, speedster is also said to be in terrible spirits, with Goolagong further expounding that Mitchell had touched base with Manu and expressed regret for his actions.
โHeโs only 24 and off the field โ if you met this bloke โ youโd have a different opinion of him,โ Goolagong continued.
โIโve spoken to him every day and heโs not going too well.
โHe likes to win, there was no malice in it whatsoever. It was just unfortunate how the tackle happened.
โHeโs not doing so well. Heโs regretful, you can tell it in his voice. Heโs spoke to Joseph Manu and theyโve talked about it and all that sort of stuff.โ
Mitchell's ban will now see Souths enter another September sans his services, after the then 23-year-old missed their 2020 premiership tilt with a ruptured hamstring.
The 'Latrell-less' Bunnies are set to face the Dragons this Saturday night before gearing up for a business end campaign to claim the club's 22nd premiership.
