Souths’ surprise green light for Latrell Mitchell’s Grand Final week comeback

Latrell Mitchell won’t play in the NRL again this season, but the star will play rugby league again during grand final week.

Latrell at last years’ Koori Knockout. Picture Paul Davidson Photography

While Latrell Mitchell’s NRL season is already over, the Souths superstar will play competitive rugby league again before the year is out.

The 27-year-old has only played 11 NRL matches in a horror season for the Rabbitohs that will see the club at best finish 14th after languish in the competition cellar for most of the season.

Watch every game of every round this NRL Telstra Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today >

But Mitchell, who has been sidelined since round 18 with a Lisfranc foot injury, has again put his hand up to play in the Koori Knockout, which is scheduled for NRL Grand Final week between October 4 to 7 in Bathurst.

Fox League exchanged text messages with Rabbitohs CEO Blake Solly, who confirmed Mitchell would have the club’s approval to represent Taree in the tournament.

“Latrell is fit and available to play. We support the tournament and any of our players who are fit, available and want to play; we support them playing in it,” Solly reportedly responded.

“It’s an important event for them and the community.”

It comes as the NRL confirmed that Mitchell would miss round 1 of the 2025 season after denying the Rabbitohs’ hopes to have the fullback serve a one-match suspension in round 27.

Mitchell at last years’ Koori Knockout. Picture Paul Davidson Photography

Mitchell was given a one-match ban and over $20,000 in fines after he was served a breach notice for brining the game into disreputeafter the star fullback was pictured with a white powder in a Dubbo hotel room last month.

While Mitchell has been out for several weeks, he needed to be fully cleared for a return to play by South Sydney medical staff and available for selection.

South Sydney engaged three separate doctors to supply evidence that Mitchell was fit.

However, there were concerns that it was all smoke and mirrors as just two weeks ago interim head coach Ben Hornby ruled Mitchell out for the remainder of the season.

The NRL announced the suspension after this comment from Hornby.

On Tuesday Mitchell didn’t train with his teammates, limited to riding an exercise bike.

On Wednesday afternoon, the NRL denied the request, meaning Mitchell is now set to miss round 1 of 2025.

Mitchell watches a bomb at the Koori Knockout. Picture Warren Gannon Photography

In asserting the NRL’s position on the matter, CEO Andrew Abdo called the situation “unique” but denied the club was exploiting any loopholes in the rules.

“We’re working with and liaising with the club,” he said.

“We want to make sure we satisfy ourselves that he is fit before we make that decision, so we’re having a look at that at the moment, and we haven’t finalised that yet.

“It’s an unusual situation. It doesn’t happen that often. I don’t think it’s a loophole.

“All suspensions should be served when the players are fit and available to play, so he’s actually missing a match, particularly if the suspensions occurred prior to the injury occurring.”

There is a chance that Mitchell will line up in round one as last season the NRL counted the pre-season All-Stars match — of which Latrell has represented the Indigenous All-Stars six times — as one week of Souths winger Jacob Gagai and Jack Wighton’s suspensions.

The NRL had initially knocked back the request, but Raiders coach Ricky Stuart was fuming when his outside back Sebastian Kris wasn’t able to do the same.

Kris and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves were able to count three Pacific Championship matches for New Zealand against their suspensions of five weeks and seven weeks respectively.

However, Mitchell is unlikely to be able to do the same this year with Australia as Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga already confirmed he’d likely overlook Latrell and pick his Pacific Championships squad on form.

So time will tell if the Rabbitohs can have the All-Stars match count towards Latrell’s suspension.

With NewsWire