NRL season hangs in the balance as superstar Latrell Mitchell is among FOUR players tested for coronavirus showing flu-like symptoms

  • Four South Sydney Rabbitohs were sent home after being tested for COVID-19 
  • Souths coach Wayne Bennett said the club were following NRL testing controls 
  • Mitchell was recently fined $20,000 for flouting coronavirus distancing rules
  • Here’s how to help people impacted by Covid-19

By Jackson Barron For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 09:48 BST, 4 May 2020 | Updated: 10:33 BST, 4 May 2020

Four South Sydney Rabbitohs stars including Latrell Mitchell have been sent home after being tested for coronavirus.

Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett confirmed the four players were showing flu-like symptoms and were turned away from training on Monday morning. 

Mitchell and three other Rabbitohs weren’t allowed into the club’s training area after being screened by the South Sydney doctor and were sent home after being tested for the deadly disease.

Latrell Mitchell (pictured centre) is among four South Sydney Rabbitohs players who have been tested for coronavirus after showing flu-like symptoms

Latrell Mitchell (pictured centre) is among four South Sydney Rabbitohs players who have been tested for coronavirus after showing flu-like symptoms

Bennett told The Sydney Morning Herald the club were following the NRL rules and hoped to have the players back training on Tuesday.

‘We are all following protocols. We all want to be back playing footy and we all understand what it is going to take – there wasn’t one complaint today,’ he said.

‘The doctor questioned them upon entering the training facility and our medical staff were there with doctors to undergo screening. They were asked all questions about whether they had a sore throat, runny nose or have been coughing.

‘If they had one of those symptoms in the last 24 hours we sent them straight off to be tested for coronavirus. We should have the results back by tomorrow morning. If they are symptom free they’ll be fine and back in with everyone else. If they are positive, then they never entered our facility.’

South Sydney Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett said the players were following the NRL rules and hoped to have them fit at training on Tuesday

South Sydney Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett said the players were following the NRL rules and hoped to have them fit at training on Tuesday

South Sydney Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett said the players were following the NRL rules and hoped to have them fit at training on Tuesday

NRL stars Latrell Mitchell and Josh Addo Carr are seen in a group of 12 people on a camping trip - openly flouting social distancing rules designed to keep people safe from COVID-19

NRL stars Latrell Mitchell and Josh Addo Carr are seen in a group of 12 people on a camping trip - openly flouting social distancing rules designed to keep people safe from COVID-19

NRL stars Latrell Mitchell and Josh Addo Carr are seen in a group of 12 people on a camping trip – openly flouting social distancing rules designed to keep people safe from COVID-19

The news comes days after Mitchell was fined $20,000 for flouting social distancing sanctions and taking part in a 12-man camping trip on the NSW mid-north coast.

NRL clubs have adopted COVID-19 testing protocols for players as the league aims for a May 28 season reboot, with all teams returning to training on Monday. 

Fellow NRL stars Josh Addo Carr and Tyrone Roberts-Davis were with Mitchell on the camping trip, with concerns for the Melbourne Storm and Newcastle Knights playing groups after both attended training.

Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson was also absent from training on Monday after being tested for coronavirus.

The three-time premiership winning coach opted to see a doctor instead of risk infecting his players after suffering a sore throat. 

More to come.

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