Wayne Bennett won’t move Latrell Mitchell to the halves after losing Dylan Walker,Roosters explain Dom Young’s axing

The Rabbitohs have suffered a fresh injury blow on the eve of their daunting trip to Melbourne, while Roosters coach Trent Robinson has revealed why Dom Young was dropped.

South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett has resisted the temptation to move Latrell Mitchell back to the halves for Friday’s crunch match against the Storm despite losing playmaker Cody Walker for at least a month to a serious calf injury at training.

Walker was named to partner Jayden Sullivan, but Jye Gray will now start in the halves for the first time after spending his NRL career at fullback.

Gray spent his junior career in the halves but can expect plenty of traffic sent his way by a Storm side that will try to target him in the defensive line.

It’s a big blow for Walker who hurt his hamstring earlier in the season and also came off early on Good Friday, with Lewis Dodd replacing him for his first taste of NRL action.

Cody Walker will miss at least a month with a calf tear. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

“He hurt his calf and has a pretty severe tear so he’ll be out for 4-5 weeks,” Bennett said, confirming Dodd will now join the bench.

“We’re all disappointed, but he’ll be most disappointed because it impacts on him personally.

“There’s nothing we can do about it. It wasn’t the hamstring which was the last one that he had. It’s a different area of the opposite leg.”

The Rabbitohs have never won in Melbourne but will try to ambush their rivals with Mitchell set to captain the side and back in his preferred position after spending time at five-eighth and left centre.

“I think it’s where he’s happiest, and my priority with the players is to put them where they’re happy,” Bennett said.

“He did a job for us which we needed because we were short of options in the outside backs, but he has an opportunity to play at fullback now.”

Mark Nawaqanitawase has replaced Dom Young on the right wing for the Roosters. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Meanwhile, Roosters coach Trent Robinson has explained why he dropped Dom Young for the Anzac Day blockbuster against the Dragons.

Billy Smith returns from suspension and is set to stay at left centre as long as he’s available, with rugby convert Mark Nawaqanitawase named to start on the right wing.

Young has been a try-scoring machine throughout his time in the NRL, but some defensive issues and concerns around his yardage coming out of trouble have seen him drop out of the 17.

“Billy has come back in and has played really well, so I think he’s our best left centre,” Robinson said.

“We feel like we have three really good wingers, but performance is key so I made a selection based on that.

“There’s no reserve grade (for Young to play in this weekend) but he gets to take a breath and get some work done on the physical things that he needs to get done on a week off.

“There are parts of his game that he can improve, and he knows how to do that. We just want to see that over the next couple of weeks.”

Originally published as Wayne Bennett won’t move Latrell Mitchell to the halves after losing Dylan Walker,Roosters explain Dom Young’s axing