South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett reveals when Latrell Mitchell will return to fullback

Latrell Mitchell will start a game in the centres in clubland for the first time in six years. Wayne Bennett reveals the reasoning behind the superstar full-back’s positional switch.

South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett has declared that Latrell Mitchell will be the Rabbitohs’ fullback. Just not for the moment.

Not while the club is battling injuries in their outside backs that make it better for the side that Mitchell returns from long-term injury in the centres and Jye Gray remains in the No.1 jersey.

Bennett’s plan was always for Mitchell to make his comeback in his preferred position but injuries to Alex Johnston, Campbell Graham and Tyrone Munro threw those plans into disarray.

With Gray playing so well and the Rabbitohs short on outside backs, it made sense for Mitchell to return in the centres. So on Tuesday, Bennett named Mitchell to start a game in the centres in clubland for the first time in six years.

The last time Mitchell started in the NRL in the centres - the 2019 grand final, when he starred as the Sydney Roosters, the side he will play against on Friday night, scored a late try to beat Canberra.

Latrell Mitchell will return to fullback when South Sydney’s backline is healthy. Picture: Max Mason-Hubers

“Latrell is our fullback and he will be our fullback, there’s no doubt in my mind about that,” Bennett said.
“These guys have got to come back from their injuries and when they do he will move back to fullback.

“Three outside backs were all injured and putting Latrell in the centres was our best option from a team point of view.

“We know he can play there - he has played for NSW and Australia there. Jye did a really good job (at fullback) in the interim. It was pretty easy decision that way.”

Bennett spoke to Mitchell about his decision and he had buy-in from Souths’ biggest star.

“He wants to do what’s best for the team, and he realises that’s the best thing for the team,” Bennett said.
“We had a good conversation about it. It works different ways to different people, but I have too much respect for him to walk in and drop it on his lap.

“I wouldn’t have put him there in if he wasn’t capable of doing it. He was happy to that because he realises it makes us stronger.

“He’s extremely team oriented.”

Asked whether he was looking forward to seeing Mitchell back on the field, Bennett was succinct.

“He is one of the elite players of the game,” he said.

Whispers of Mitchell’s return in the centres began to swirl on Tuesday morning when he was spotted training in the position at Heffron Park on Tuesday morning.

Despite Bennett maintaining Mitchell’s best position for the Rabbitohs is at fullback, the mastercoach was left with little choice after Alex Johnston was ruled out the Roosters clash with a rib injury.

Star centre Campbell Graham is also unavailable for at least the next three weeks after he suffered a calf injury in Round 3 while Munro is sidelined with a collarbone injury

Forward Jai Arrow is backing Mitchell to be at his destructive best at centre, the same position he won two premierships during his time at the Roosters.

“Wherever (Mitchell) fits into our footy side, he’s going to do the job to the best of his ability,” Arrow said.

“I know if I’m playing Latrell, I wouldn’t like to see him at left centre, especially with the strike they’ve already got there.

“I’m sure if I’m (left winger) ‘Tassy’ this week, I’m licking my lips about scoring tries.”

Jack Wighton will switch to right centre, where he trained on Tuesday, to accommodate for Mitchell’s injection on the left side of the field.

Jye Gray is leading the Dally M race after four rounds. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Isaiah Tass and Mikaele Ravalawa were named on the wing.

While Gray has retained the no.1 jumper this week, Arrow believes the diminutive fullback deserves to keep a spot in Bennett’s 17 even when Mitchell finally returns to fullback.

“He’s been pretty tremendous. We went to some schools yesterday and he was telling all the kids he’s the current Dally M leader,” Arrow said.

“They had no idea what he was talking about but we did. It’s good to see him growing in confidence as a player.

“I’m sure Wayne would find a spot for him no matter what.”

After serving a two-week ban for a crusher tackle, boom forward Lachlan Hubner will start at lock, pushing Tallis Duncan onto the bench.

Johnston picked up a painful rib injury in last weekend’s win against four-time premiers Penrith and will be assessed on a week-to-week basis.

“He was very brave to stick out 30 minutes with it and stay on the field and do what the team needed on the weekend,” Wighton said.