Call for life bans after Mitchell targeted by racial abuse

The Indigenous fullback, great nephew of tennis great Evonne Goolagong, was abused by a fan as he left the pitch at halftime of South Sydney's match against NRL champions the Penrith Panthers on Thursday evening, the club said.

The incident comes five years after another Indigenous rugby league great, Greg Inglis, was racially abused by fans while playing for the Rabbitohs at the same Penrith Stadium.

"It's not the first time we've come here as a club and our players have been racially abused. Like where does it end? It's just not on," coach Jason Demetriou said in his news conference after a 16-10 defeat.

"I shouldn't have to be able to come here as a coach and lead a team for players to be abused. We have to stamp it out completely. NRL clubs have to get rid of it and give life bans."

Aboriginal Australia athletes were once routinely racially abused at sports events around the country but efforts by leagues to eradicate vilification from stadiums in recent years have been largely successful.

The Rabbitohs, whose spiritual home of Redfern is in the part of the city most closely identified with Sydney's Indigenous community, fielded several players with Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander heritage in Friday's match.

Mitchell, who scored two tries for Australia in their World Cup final win over Samoa last year, has previously spoken out about racial abuse on social media.

"He's sick of it. He should be able to come here as a star of our game and not be racially abused," Demetriou added.

"Who cares what colour he is. It's just not on. I can't understand how that happens in this day and age. Anyone who wants to give racial abuse, get them out of the game, we don't want their support."

The NRL said they were working with the stadium authorities and the club to find out what happened.

"Any form of racism or vilification will not be tolerated in our sport," chief executive Andrew Abdo said in a statement.

"We will stand behind our players and commend them for calling out this behaviour."