Wayne Bennett appoints left-field Latrell Mitchell mentor to address major flaw in his NRL game

Rabbitohs fullback Latrell Mitchell is one of the best players in the NRL but Wayne Bennett is keen to ensure he becomes the complete package.

Former Socceroos coach Graham Arnold has been signed by Wayne Bennett to mentor Latrell Mitchell and the South Sydney goalkickers ahead of the 2025 NRL season.

Arnold will begin in a coaching capacity immediately, with his main task being to improve Mitchell’s goal kicking accuracy.

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Mitchell nailed just 33 from 46 in 11 games last year at a strike rate of 71.74 per cent.

The fullback’s conversion rate was well below the average of other NRL goal kickers, with the likes of Nathan Cleary, Nicho Hynes, Valentine Holmes and Kalyn Ponga all striking well above 80 per cent last season.

Wayne Bennett is hoping to get the best out of Latrell Mitchell in 2025. Pic: Instagram

So as Bennett – who returns to Redfern after a stint at the Dolphins – attempts to improve the Bunnies across the board, he has identified Arnold as the solution to Souths’ goalkicking woes.

Arnold has been a close associate of Rabbitohs coach Bennett for several years.

He even credited the master coach for his advice and guidance before making the tough decision to step down as Socceroos coach last year.

Arnold left the role as Socceroos coach as Australia’s most experienced head coach.

Most notably he was the mastermind behind the Socceroos’ dramatic World Cup qualification for the 2022 tournament in Qatar, where they achieved their best finish.

However, it finished on a sour note with a shock loss to Bahrain and a draw with Indonesia, which resulted in Arnold ultimately deciding it was time for him and the Socceroos to begin a new chapter.

And Bennett believes he is the right man for the Souths job, given the fact he has had success working with NRL goalkickers in the past.

Manly’s Jamie Lyon famously called on the ex-Socceroo in 2013 to help him regain his mojo with the tee.

Graham Arnold stepped down as Socceroos coach last year. (Photo by HECTOR RETAMAL / AFP)

Lyon was kicking at just 67 per cent for the year before Arnold identified he was placing the ball too flat during the 2013 finals series.

After a few adjustments to his kicking technique and run-up, Lyon then went on to land four from five and four from four in the Sea Eagles’ finals wins over Cronulla and Rabbitohs respectively, before slotting three from four in the grand final against the Roosters.

While even before that former Wests Tigers stars Brett Hodgson and Benji Marshall called on Arnold’s expertise.

And Bennett is hoping he can work wonders with Mitchell and the Souths goalkicking cohort.

“Graham will be doing some work with our goalkickers. He knows what he is talking about,” Bennett told AAP.

Graham Arnold has previously worked with players such as Benji Marshall (pictured) to improve their goal kicking.

“He is a good person and a very good coach. All of our goalkickers can improve.

“Latrell will be our goalkicker this year but the back-up wasn’t where it should have been last season.

“Graham will work with the backup goalkickers as well. He will be taking over our goalkickers.”

NRL great Corey Parker also believes bringing in Arnold is a great move.

 ”If you can turn 4 into 6 more often, especially at the back end of games it can make a huge difference,” Parker said on SEN on Tuesday.