There were fears a foot injury could have ended Mitchell’s NRL season.
South Sydney’s chances of qualifying for the NRL playoffs have been boosted by rumors that star fullback Latrell Mitchell could return from a foot injury as early as round 24. Mitchell suffered a Lisfranc injury during a game against Parramatta in round 18 and was ruled out of the State of Origin decider for NSW, despite starring in Game 2.
Mitchell met with doctors on Thursday and was cleared for a three-week comeback, according to News Corp reporting. It means he might return for the Bunnies’ round 24 match against the Wests Tigers, with games against the Knights, Panthers, and Roosters to finish the regular season.
Mitchell has played an important role in South Sydney’s amazing comeback to form, which has seen the club win six of its previous seven games and climb to 12th on the table. The Rabbitohs still have an uphill road to make the playoffs, and will most likely need to win at least five of their remaining seven games, beginning with Sunday night’s away game against fellow top-eight contenders Canberra.
The NRL Physio account confirmed Mitchell’s positive injury report, saying the foot was recovering well enough to avoid surgery, which would have terminated his season prematurely. “Latrell Mitchell could return in as little as 3 weeks (Round 24) after scans brought positive news (via @MCarayannis),” he shared with X. “Scans on a Lisfranc injury like this are used to monitor joint widening and ligament healing, both of which appear to be progressing well.
Souths face tough run of games without Latrell Mitchell
Mitchell has played only 11 games for the Rabbitohs this season due to injuries, Origin, and suspension, which means he may only play 15 games for Souths in 2024 unless they make the finals. Jye Gray will continue to play fullback for interim coach Ben Hornby’s side, but they’ll have their work cut out to stay in finals contention without their inspirational No.1 for the next three weeks, with games against top-four contenders Cronulla and Melbourne coming after Sunday night’s Raiders clash.
Hornby stated earlier this month that Mitchell would most certainly be sent for surgery on the ailment if it progressed to the point where Souths were out of finals contention. The grim reality of South Sydney’s future fixtures means that, while Mitchell’s injury news is excellent, he may play his final game for the Bunnies until 2024.
“He doesn’t feel like it’s too sore right now, so that’s keeping him a little more upbeat than if it was completely gone,” Hornby explained earlier this month. “We certainly hope that he can avoid surgery. We cannot forecast it, and I am not a doctor. “We’ll see how the scan goes in four weeks.”
Souths won five consecutive games prior to Mitchell’s injury, propelling them up the ladder and reigniting their finals chances. However, the Bunnies have only won two of their six games without their inspirational fullback, demonstrating how important the two-time premiership winner is to the team.
