Billy Slater says what the NRL must NOT do with teenager who allegedly abused Latrell Mitchell

Billy Slater has dismissed the suggestion the fan who allegedly aimed a racial insult at Latrell Mitchell should be allowed to speak to the South Sydney star.

A 15-year-old boy wearing a Sydney Roosters jersey is alleged to have aimed an alleged racial slur to the Rabbitohs fullback as he walked off the field at half-time during Souths’ 16-10 loss to Penrith on Thursday night.

The spectator was identified and subsequently evicted from BlueBet Stadium, while the NRL Integrity Unit and New South Wales Police are continuing their investigation.

The incident has placed renewed scrutiny on how Australian sports deal with incidents of a racial connotations across the board.

During a passionate post-game press conference on Thursday, Souths boss Jason Demetriou called for the anyone found guilty of using racist language to be banned for life from attending NRL games. 

Billy Slater has dismissed suggestions the NRL should educate alleged racial abusers, insisting the onus should fall on the families and society and not on the clubs

Latrell Mitchell was allegedly racially abused by a teenage fan during the Bunnies’ game against Penrith at BlueBet Stadium on Thursday night 

The star fullback was allegedly abused by a 15-year-old wearing a Sydney Roosters jersey as he walked off the field at halftime 

He added the ban should be extended to the parents if the perpetrator is under age.

Meanwhile, Cronulla star Nicho Hynes suggested on Sunday the NRL should look to educate the alleged abuser by inviting him to enter the Indigenous All Stars camp next year.

Slater, however, pushed back on the suggestion the alleged perpetrator should meet Mitchell.

‘I think you have to have some sort of ban to make a stance, but also there has to be some kind of education for this person,’ he said on The Billy Slater Podcast.

‘The only thing is I don’t like someone getting an opportunity to go into an All Stars camp, or go and meet Latrell Mitchell, just because they’ve done the wrong thing.

‘Go out and learn it in another way. Don’t give them something everyone else wants to do, just because they’ve done the wrong thing.’

The Queensland coach acknowledged education was key to extirpate racial abuse from society, but insisted the onus should be placed on families rather than on the NRL and the clubs. 

‘You’re not born a racist,’ he said.  

‘This is an environment you’ve been in, whether it be through your family, your parents, or the circles that you hang around, that’s where you pick this stuff up.

‘I think it starts at home. This is the generational change that we need to occur.

‘I think the NRL does a fantastic job of education about our First Nations people, and the culture of our country. I think the NRL is a real leader in that and we celebrate it.’

Hynes, who played with Mitchell for the Indigenous All Stars this year, said the NRL was ‘obliged’ to check on the wellbeing of the alleged perpetrator. 

Cronulla star Nicho Hynes called for the alleged perpetrator to receive counselling and support from the NRL 

‘I think the game needs to do something about checking in on him as well, and his wellbeing,’ he said.

‘We are obliged to make sure that we check in on him, because he’ll be copping it a lot.

‘Part of it should be that he goes and educates himself now on Aboriginal culture or on racism in general.

‘It could be a reflection of the people around him or what he’s been taught.’