Latrell Mitchell gets ready for fresh round of talks
South Sydney are bullish about Latrell Mitchell being ready for 2021.
Paul Crawley,
Michael Carayannis, Peter Badel &
Fatima Kdouh , News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
Source: Daily Telegraph
November 13, 2020 7:42pm
It’s the photo that should put a smile on the face of every South Sydney fan as Latrell Mitchell’s management gets ready for another round of contract talks.
After three months with no footy, Mitchell was not only in good spirits when he turned up on his day off for the Rabbitohs’ NAIDOC event this week.
But he also looked to be in terrific shape as he recovers from that shocking hamstring injury that cut short his season just when his form at fullback was really starting to take off.
Already back doing light running and way ahead of schedule, Mitchell has been travelling down from Taree to Sydney for three days of intense rehab each week before returning home to enjoy time on his farm.
And while Mitchell’s manager Matt Rose is expected to catch up with club chief executive Blake Solly next week to continue conversations about extending his stay at Souths, right now the main focus for the man himself is just getting himself ready for the 2021 NRL season.
If all continues to go to plan, Latrell is due back at the start of December to work with the rehab group full-time.
The aim is to have him ready to join the main group when the senior players and Origin stars return along with Wayne Bennett in early January.
Souths insiders say Latrell has been really diligent with his rehab during his time in Sydney and his attitude can’t be faulted.
And he certainly doesn’t look to be carrying anywhere near the weight he was when he first arrived at the club.
If he can be back in full training come January, he should be right to go for the start of the comp.
Latrell copped plenty for the way he handled his exit from the Roosters but he has done nothing but impress since his arrival at the Rabbitohs.
Turning up on his day off to attend the club’s NAIDOC event was just another example of his willingness to help out.
Rose said given Latrell has a contract in place for 2021 there was no rush to get anything sorted out immediately on his long term future.
“This time he just wants to take his time and talk through it with Souths,” Rose said, and given the commotion that surrounded him last year that’s understandable.
“But the main thing for him right now is just having a bit of a rest and working on his rehab.”
Souths will have a group of the younger players back on Monday to kick start the pre-season with a testing week.
That will be followed by more players returning on November 30, others on December 7, and the senior group after the Christmas/New Year break.
Meanwhile, Cameron Murray also hopes to be ready for pre-season by January with an expected six-to-eight week recovery for his hamstring injury suffered in the Origin opener in Adelaide.
