- Latrell Mitchell undergoes tests to prove fitness
- Souths want him suspended for one match this weekend
- Fullback sanctioned after photo of Dubbo hotel room
Rabbitohs star Latrell Mitchell has undergone tests on his injured foot as Souths prepare medical evidence to prove he should serve his one-match suspension this weekend.
Mitchell was suspended for one match and also fined $20,000 by the NRL following his ill-fated trip to Dubbo on the weekend of August 10-11.
The star player made just 11 appearances for the club in 2024 due to injuries and suspensions, with his latest setback coming in the 18th round.
The suspension is to be served once Mitchell is fit to play, with Souths claiming the star player would have been able to play against the Roosters this weekend for medical reasons if he had not been suspended.
This means Mitchell could play under new coach Wayne Bennett in the first round of the 2025 season.
The NRL have reportedly told Souths they do not have to name Mitchell as part of their squad for this weekend’s match as long as they provide medical documentation proving he is fit by 4pm on Wednesday.
With many pundits believing the Bunnies were Premier League heavyweights before a ball was ever kicked, the Bunnies will miss out on the NRL’s top eight again after coach Jason Demetriou was sacked in April.
Mitchell has courted controversy at times, receiving a three-game ban after elbowing Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson in the closing stages. He was then embroiled in a spat with Anthony Mundine that raged for weeks after the Spencer Leniu-Ezra Mam racism saga in Las Vegas.
The superstar fullback will serve a one-match ban after being photographed standing over a white substance in a hotel room
Mitchell was fined $20,000 by the NRL after the Integrity Unit concluded he breached the sport’s code of conduct following a widely circulated image of a hotel room in Dubbo (pictured)
When you factor in Mitchell’s abusive post-match interview with Triple M, followed by his public spat with NRL 360 presenter Braith Anasta at a Sydney restaurant, it’s understandable that the club’s management have had enough.
‘Trell Mit’ helped the NSW Blues win the Origin series with a convincing performance in the second match at the MCG. However, he was injured in an incident against the Eels which ruled him out for the rest of the season.
Wayne Bennett’s return to the club as head coach in 2025 could go a long way towards keeping Mitchell on the right path.
They have a close bond and Bennett is looking forward to working with the Indigenous role model again.
If Souths can prove Mitchell is fit enough to play against the Roosters this weekend, he could serve his suspension and be available for the first round match of the 2025 season.
I will be there for him and I hope I can give them [South Sydney] “He’s getting the help he needs,” Bennett said recently.
“He’s in good hands and he’s a good person. I have a lot of time for Latrell.
“South Sydney will handle the matter. They are a great club and they will make it right with Latrell.”