Souths make call on Latrell Mitchell’s return with comeback plan

Latrell Mitchell’s long-awaited return for the Rabbitohs has been delayed for another week, but South Sydney’s highest-paid player is closing in on a comeback and much-needed game time leading into the finals.

Coach Wayne Bennett had raised hopes of Mitchell playing his first game since round 10 when he was included in the Rabbitohs extended squad for Saturday’s clash against the Warriors, with Bennett telling this masthead Mitchell was “a chance” if he could complete full training this week.

But Souths have opted to keep their superstar centre on ice for another week. They also confirmed there have been no setbacks in his recovery from an ongoing nerve issue in his lower back. The nerve damage was linked to subsequent upper leg and calf problems for Mitchell which ruled him out of NSW’s Origin campaign.

The Rabbitohs have targeted next week’s round 26 match against the Titans for Mitchell to return to the paddock, though that is still contingent on him handling increased training loads.

Bennett has flagged a potential bench role for Mitchell, who is unlikely to be played for a full 80 minutes against either the Gold Coast or arch-rivals the Roosters in the final round of the regular season.

Jake Trbojevic has paid tribute to brother Tom as he embarks on another comeback, saying most players in his position would have written off the year.

Tom Trbojevic is a huge addition to a Manly side that remains a mathematical possibility of squeaking into the finals if they beat Newcastle at McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday.

The Sea Eagles haven’t won a game since their captain suffered his latest hamstring injury, in round 20. However, the fullback will be a welcome addition to a side that has lost halfback Joey Walsh to a fractured jaw. Another Trbojevic, youngest sibling Ben, also returns from injury.

“I’ll be honest, it is tough, it’s really tough,” Jake Trbojevic said about playing without Tom.

“I’ve got a lot of respect for Tom, obviously being my brother and all that, but the way he goes about things – he is a true professional.

“Everyone says that about people, but he genuinely is. Sometimes I wish it was me who got injured instead of him, because he puts in 10 times more work than anyone else to get his body right, and he’s just been very unlucky.

“It’s very hard to see, particularly being his older brother. Not only that, selfishly I want him out on the field because he makes us better, you know? So, it is tough, but I’m happy for him that he’s very resilient and keeps working hard. These things don’t hold him back.

“A lesser man would probably say, ‘You know what, I’ll just sit the year out and come back next year,’ but he’s fighting. He wants to be out there, he wants to lead this club, and that’s great.”

If Tom Trbojevic’s return is successful he could put himself into contention for Australia selection for the end-of-year World Cup. Much will depend on how he and Manly perform in coming weeks, although it’s unlikely the club will feature in the post-season.