Latrell Mitchell has been ruled out for eight weeks following training injury

South Sydney star Latrell Mitchell will be out of action for the club for an extended period after suffering an injury at training.

There are increasing medical fears Latrell Mitchell could be dogged by serious hamstring problems for the rest of his career.

Another hamstring injury will rule Mitchell out of rugby league for eight weeks – the shock revelation coming just a day after representative captain Cam Murray suffered a season-ending ruptured Achilles.

Mitchell, just 27, will miss six NRL games – against the Dolphins, St George Illawarra, Cronulla, Penrith, Sydney Roosters and North Queensland – after a training mishap on Wednesday.

This is Mitchell’s third serious hamstring injury in the past five years – two occurring to his left leg, this current drama to his right.

While recurrence levels for hamstring injuries are high, Souths quickly ended talk Mitchell’s three hamstring issues were connected.

“Latrell is being dogged by hamstrings. One of the frustrations is that you can still do everything in rehab and prevention but still get a high profile injury getting hamstring injuries, despite all the efforts people put in,” said leading Sydney sports doctor and former Rabbitohs player, Nathan Gibbs.

“The reasons behind a hamstring injury are really complex. I don’t know what applies to Latrell’s case but the cause of recurrent tears is that you come back too early and haven’t fully rehabilitated the initial tear. But you can come through it and come out the other side.”

NRL physio Brien Seeney added: “We know hamstring injuries have a recurrence rate of up to 30 per cent so you just have to take that extra time and almost rehab them to 110 per cent, rather than 100 per cent, to try and bullet proof them from any further injury.

Latrell Mitchell at Souths HQ with strapping on his right hamstring

“You definitely have to take more caution with a player who has had recurrent hamstring strains.

“It’s almost like you get the player ticking all the boxes and return-to-play protocols and then you give him another couple of weeks rather than ‘rushing him back’. He can really build his running loads in those extra two weeks so the risk of re-injury is as low as possible.

“I don’t think Souths will risk it. Even if they went 0-5, knowing the nature of hamstring injuries, and how fickle they can be, they will be very conservative with his return. The risk is highest in the first two weeks of a player returning to play. There are parallels here with Tom Trbojevic.”

Souths CEO Blake Solly quickly denied Mitchell’s three hamstring injuries were linked.

“Everyone that knows sports knows that hamstrings or those soft tissue injuries can lead to recurrences later on. But, certainly, it’s been four years, almost, since Latrell’s last hamstring injury so we don’t think there’s any relationship,” Solly said.

“Latrell had a scan on (Wednesday night) and there is a slight hamstring strain there. I think he should be back in up to eight weeks’ time.

“We will work with Latrell. It’s very early days and he will start a rehabilitation process and hopefully he will be on the field sooner than that. We will take the next few days and weeks as they come.

Latrell Mitchell could be dogged by serious hamstring problems for the rest of his career. Picture: NRL Photos

“Latrell couldn’t have done anything more to prepare himself. Wayne (Bennett) and I were only remarking watching him move and train last Friday, how good he looked and how fit he looked. His movement was probably the best we have seen from him at the club.

“We were all getting excited but this is just one step back and it happens in professional sport. There’s nothing more disappointing than missing your first game, Latrell is disappointed but he is a ferocious competitor.”

Mitchell and Murray suffered injuries within five minutes of one-another at a calamitous training session at Maroubra.

Murray was pushing up during a routine defensive drill when he sustained a potential season-ending ruptured Achilles. He will have surgery and is expected to miss between five to nine months.

“Cam will most likely have surgery. It’s always difficult putting time frames on Cameron because he is such a professional and committed competitor,” Solly said.

“He has had a rotten run with injury so he, like anyone in this situation, is a bit disappointed but one of the great things about Cameron is that he is resilient and a leader. He will already be focusing on how quickly he can get back on the field and help his teammates.”