Sydney Roosters chairman Nick Politis says he was brought to tears by the sight of Joey Manu‘s swollen face following ex-teammate Latrell Mitchell’s monster hit on him.
Manu will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery and having plates inserted into his face, while Mitchell was suspended for the remainder of the season for the incident which occurred during a spiteful Roosters-Rabbitohs clash last Friday.
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The incident sparked widespread reaction across the entire NRL landscape, with some pundits slamming Mitchell for his actions while others, such as league guru Phil Gould, believed the clash was entirely accidental.
Speaking to Roosters Radio, Politis said Mitchell’s hit on Manu “wasn’t necessary”, and said he’d been in contact with both Manu and his family since he suffered the injury.
“I was shattered for Joey,” he said.
“Forget about the result, just the fact, when you see that scene on TV that he went back to Latrell with tears in his eyes and his face busted, and he didn’t go back with any animosity or to have a fight he went back and said, ‘Why, why, what’s the matter with you?’, and probably used a few other words.
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“‘We’re good mates, we won two grand finals together, we won two grand finals together. Why did you do that?’. That to me just broke me up I had tears in my eyes.
“I spoke to him on Saturday and Sunday and I spoke to his parents in New Zealand on Sunday.
“They are such a good family. His parents are beautiful people He is back with the boys. He is good and recovering well. [Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson] said his face is really swollen up.
“He is positive and putting it behind him and looking forward to next year. He is such a wonderful guy. It wasn’t necessary.”
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Robinson and the Roosters were hit with a $40,000 fine after the Roosters coach teed off at the referees following the match on Friday night, but despite the hefty financial implications, Politis called his coach’s tirade “fantastic for our players”.
Robinson has accepted a $20,000 fine for his comments to go along with a previously suspended $10,000 fine for a similar post-match tirade, but admitted he wouldn’t change his actions if he had his time again.
“I accepted the breach myself and the club the other day, so I understand that the stuff that I’ve said in the game, I stand by what I said in that game post-match, and my views on that,” Robinson said.
“But I also understand that the NRL has to act on some things that I said. That’s the balance of our game. I’m going to give my opinion on that.
“I fully understand where the fine comes from, I know there was language you can’t use.
“But I would sit in there and deliver the same post-match press conference that I delivered and that doesn’t mean any disrespect to the NRL.
“I understand their decision, but they also have to understand my position. And I stand behind that.”