Roosters coach Trent Robinson has stunningly taken responsibility for Latrell Mitchell and Angus Crichton's missed selections for game two, claiming his decision to grant them a week's rest may have hurt their chances of a recall.
Mitchell and Crichton were two of seven victims of Brad Fittler's sensational overhaul as loyalty was tossed out the window with sweeping changes made to save the series in Perth.
After a defeat in Brisbane, Mitchell was given the week off to spend time with his family to clear his mind after a month of mixed performances, while Crichton was rested after a surprising 51 minutes off the bench for the Blues.
Robinson believes those decisions could have impacted Fittler's selections after the NSW coach requested for them both to play against Penrith last weekend.
‘’I’m disappointed for him [Mitchell] and Angus as well,'' Robinson said after his side thumped Canterbury 38-12 on Sunday.
‘’It’s a price to pay for the first one [game one] but I guess Angus didn’t play last week and Latrell didn’t play last week.
‘’He [Fittler] asked them to go back and play well so a bit of that is on me for not giving them the opportunity to do that.
‘’I don’t think they could have gone done more than what they did today. I thought they really worked hard for that today but that it the choice of the selectors I guess.’’
Robinson refused to criticise Fittler's choices and could relate to the difficult position the NSW coach has found himself in.
‘’When you sit in a seat as a coach you often make choices about the team that you want and the selections you’ve made and a lot of people have opinions about that so I don’t want to add weight to that,’’ he said.
‘’If I was NSW coach I would want to select a team that I really wanted on that park and they’ve made that choice.
'‘…’I’m not going to sit here and bag Freddy. I like Freddy, he’s a good man. I love the way he coaches, he’s got a different style and he brings energy to a crew of players so I’m not going to second guess Freddy. I know what it’s like to be in a seat, so go after Freddy how you like.''
Mitchell, who scored two tries on Sunday afternoon, and Crichton were instrumental for the reigning premiers as they broke their three-game losing streak, however Fittler's decision was made hours before.
Robinson said Mitchell couldn't have done anything more to keep his place in the side.
‘’I believe in him. He’s a good man, he’s a good character,’’ Robinson said.
‘’He’s been put in a spotlight at a really young age, he was 18 and started playing, and he has played big moment for those 80-odd games that he’s played.
‘’If you ask four out of five Roosters supporters who do they love? It’s Latrell. And it you ask five out of 10 non-Roosters supporters they would say Latrell as well.
‘’He hasn’t played as well as he’s wanted over the last month and he went away, got last weekend off, came back, trained well and played a really good game tonight.
‘’In the end that’s all he can do and he’s done that. There’s nothing more to it than that.
‘’it’s about putting some really good principles for him on the field and off the field and Latrell knows it, we’ve spoken about it.’’
