The South Sydney Rabbitohs have scored a major victory in the player market, securing Latrell Mitchell’s much-sought-after signature amid a Bunnies charge to the preliminary finals—and they’re just waiting for NRL playoffs to be over to announce the big-money retention to their fans.
Mitchell was already signed with the Rabbitohs through to the end of the 2023 NRL season on around $850,000 a year, but was free to begin talking to rival clubs from November 1 for 2024 onward if Souths didn’t act.
[bet-au-3]
Act they have, however, tying up their marquee fullback with a new extension.
According to sources close to the club, Mitchell and his agent have already penned a new deal with the Sydney powerhouse that will keep him in the cardinal and myrtle for the foreseeable future. The deal includes a pay hike to, which is no surprise considering how dominant ‘Trell has been in recent campaigns.
The Daily Mail is reporting Latrell is set to earn around $1,400,000 a season from his new club contract, with another $600,000 in sponsorship packages climbing his take-home pay to around $2 million.
The was interest from Wayne Bennett and expansion team the Redcliffe Dolphins—as yet still without their own marquee man—which lifted Mitchell’s dollar deal a little higher than the Bunnies wanted, but Souths made sure to get their man.
Expect an announcement whenever these NRL finals end for the Rabbitohs.
Error, group does not exist! Check your syntax! (ID: 28)
Rabbitohs powerbrokers have been all but chained to the negotiating table in recent weeks with Mitchell off contract at the same time as veteran five-eighth Cody Walker, hooker Damian Cook, and young gun Lachlan Ilias.
Even coach Jason Demetriou has been in talks, with the Bunnies boss being handed an extension of his own to provide stability within the club and squads.
The Ilias slice of the four-way negotiating pie has already been sorted; the club’s Adam Reynolds replacement recently agreed to a new deal. Mitchell makes two of four, and The Sporting Base understands Walker’s situation is very similar—the 32-year-old is expected to stay with Souths beyond the end of his current deal and continue to mentor Ilias as the 22-year-old evolves his game.
Only Cook, the Bunnies number nine, still has question marks around his future.
The Sporting Base expects Mitchell, Walker, Ilias, and Demetriou’s extension will lead to Cook re-signing; keeping the band together—and the premiership window open—will be key to those final talks.
[bet-au-3]
