South Sydney Rabbitohs superstar Latrell Mitchell could be in line for one of the richest contracts in NRL history with his next deal potentially reaching as high as $1.4 million per season.
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But the eye-watering salary has sparked debate over whether the Australian and NSW Blues representative is worth the investment, given his ongoing injury concerns and inability to feature in every game of the season.
Although he is regarded as one of the NRL’s most damaging and best players on his day, Mitchell’s extended time on the sidelines over the past few years has raised questions about whether the Rabbitohs should hand him top-tier money.
This comes as Code Sports reporter Brent Read predicted that the Cardinal and Myrtle will attempt to get a new deal done with him before he is allowed to head to the open market on November 1.
“I think Souths are going to try and get a deal done. They haven’t started the process yet but I’d imagine later in the year they’ll try to knock a deal over,” Read said on NRL 360.
“It just depends, they want Latrell back playing footy.
“That’s when he’s happiest and at his best and I think once he gets back later in the year then they’ll sit down and talk turkey with him. They want to keep him.”
Currently on around $1.1 million per season, it is understood that this could be increased by as much as $300,000, pushing him into the top tier of the game’s highest-paid players.
Dylan Brown, Mitchell Moses, Nathan Cleary and Tom Trbojevic are understood to all be on around $1.3 million a season at the moment.
“I think Cleary is above everyone and then he’s in the next level,” Read added.
“They can win a comp with Latell fit and firing. For me, there’s a little bit of a premium with Latrell for everything else he brings – the personality, the persona.”
However, the salary increase has raised concerns from former Origin enforcer Gorden Tallis who believes that handing Mitchell a long-term deal on a high salary carries real risk given his injury record, which saw him play 11 matches a year in 2024 and 2025.
Although he stated that Mitchell’s talent is undeniable, he was worried that he is ongoing fitness concerns could prove a gamble for the Rabbitohs.
“If you’re at a footy club and it’s top dollar, that’s half a season (he is playing),” Tallis chimed in.
“I’m not saying he’s not worth the money, it could just be a bit dangerous.”
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