The South Sydney Rabbitohs have revealed they still expect star fullback and centre Latrell Mitchell to play again this year.
The New South Wales State of Origin gun was a late withdrawal last weekend for what turned out to be a tight win for South Sydney over the Parramatta Eels, missing due to a pinched nerve in his back.
Mitchell has only managed 11 games this season, with 10 at fullback, and his return from his recent injury coming at centre in Round 23 against the Gold Coast Titans.
The 28-year-old was set to play in the three-quarters again against the Eels before he was forced to pull out of the contest, with Jye Gray continuing at fullback.
Mitchell was not named for this Thursday’s clash with the similarly injury-ravaged St George Illawarra Dragons when teams were confirmed on Tuesday afternoon, and the club has now revealed his pinched nerve is still hampering him.
However, the club said they hope he will be fit again after next weekend’s bye, with the Rabbitohs to play a rivalry game against the Sydney Roosters in Round 27.
Mitchell’s return for that match will see South Sydney potentially in a position to impact the Roosters’ charge for the finals.
In other news, the Rabbitohs have confirmed young forward Liam Le Blanc’s season is over with a shoulder injury.
He has been dealing with the problem throughout the year and has now been sent in for surgery to get the injury properly repaired.
Bayleigh Bentley-Hape is also set to miss the game against the Dragons with a concussion, but the club are confident he will be fit for the final round of the year.
The trio are joined on an extensive injury list for South Sydney, with all of Euan Aitken, Gerome Burns, Campbell Graham, Ryan Gray, Ben Lovett, Max McCarthy, Davvy Moale, Cameron Murray, Jayden Sullivan and Junior Tevita Tatola likely to be finished for 2025.
South Sydney’s victory over Parramatta last weekend, at the very least, should allow the club to avoid any chance of picking up the wooden spoon, with the Gold Coast Titans seemingly destined to the bottom rung of the ladder when it’s all said and done.
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