Latrell Mitchell’s return to football in 2026 has finally been set, with Wayne Bennett and the South Sydney superstar agreeing to keep him on ice one more week so that he’s 100% for the finals.
The 29-year-old had been named on the extended bench for Souths’ Saturday clash with the Warriors, but still largely trained with the rehab group through Monday and Tuesday.
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He’s now been trimmed from the matchday playing squad, and will instead be moved into the starting lineup before Round 26. South Sydney will play the Gold Coast Titans on Saturday, August 29, and then will wrap up the 2026 season against arch-rivals the Sydney Roosters on Friday, September 4.
The superstar centre has not played since Magic Round in May, and has been hampered by nerve damage in his recovery from back and calf injuries.
Better to be safe than sorry, Bennett decided, because he wants him for finals.
“I’m confident,” the supercoach said on Mitchell’s planned return for next week. “There was a chance [for this week]. He trained pretty well but just probably needs another week. We took a cautious approach, and we’ll give him another week.”
The wily Souths helmsman also asked journalists interested in more answers on where Mitchell will play and how he’ll be used in finals to “ask again next week.”
The Sporting Base would be extremely shocked to see Latrell named anywhere but in the centres, considering he and Bennett had agreed to have him there throughout the 2026 campaign. The only reason fullback may be considered is that neither Jye Gray nor Matt Dufty have truly locked down the role.
The Rabbitohs do still have a tricky run-in to finals, too, though an upset victory over the Warriors on Saturday would seal the deal three weeks out.
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Should they lose — the Warriors are $1.60 favourites — they can still make it into the postseason picture by staying ahead of the Canterbury Bulldogs to Round 27. The Bulldogs are in ninth with 10 wins, while the Rabbitohs have secured a dozen victories already.
St George upsetting Canterbury on Saturday will also basically confirm their finals spot.
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