By GEORGE CLARKE

Amid backlash from prominent NRL figures, South Sydney coach Jason Demetriou is lauding Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker for speaking up for Indigenous people.

Before Monday’s judiciary hearing, Rabbitohs duo Mitchell and Walker were two of the strongest voices calling for Sydney Roosters star Spencer Leniu to face a lengthy sanction.

The forward was handed an eight-game ban for racially abusing Brisbane’s Indigenous five-eighth Ezra Mam.

Anthony Mundine was scathing of Mitchell’s public comments, while former NSW State of Origin coach Brad Fittler said on the Nine Network that Mitchell and Walker “should be in trouble” for prejudicing the judiciary hearing

Fittler is currently employed by the NRL.

But ahead of tomorrow’s trip to face the Broncos in round two of the NRL season, where Souths will be desperate to avoid falling to a 0-2 start to the 2024 season, Demetriou said: “I find it interesting when people are telling people to shut up, and they sit on there and have opinions every single minute of the day.

“The game is littered with opinions, with agenda and people’s thoughts.

“As soon as a player comes out that’s against someone that doesn’t want someone suspended …then there’s an issue.

“We’re proud of Cody and Latrell, their stance doesn’t change and it hasn’t changed for years – they represent their people really well and I’m really proud of them.”

He said Mitchell and Walker had displayed an “emotional intelligence” with how they had navigated the past 10 days following the Leniu-Mam incident in Las Vegas.

“If you stand for nothing you fall for everything,” Demetriou said.

“I want all my players to be comfortable in their skin.

“What I love about this group is they support each other.”

Johnathan Thurston believes there should be a mandatory 12-week ban for racist comments.

Meanwhile, another Indigenous legend, Johnathan Thurston, believes the NRL has failed society by only handing an eight-match ban to Leniu.

“The NRL had a great opportunity to make a stand, not only for the game but for society as well,” Thurston said.

“I think the game has failed in this instance.

“I don’t think the eight weeks is sufficient for what has been said and the mental scars that have been brought up with what our culture has endured since colonisation.”

AAP