As the NRL finals series draws near, South Sydney star Latrell Mitchell has taken a visible step forward in his injury recovery, making an appearance at Monday’s wet weather training session to complete light jogging drills – a development that has injected cautious optimism into the Rabbitohs camp around his potential return this season. However, his teammates have confirmed that a comeback for this weekend’s high-stakes clash against the New Zealand Warriors remains highly unlikely. Mitchell has been sidelined since South Sydney’s Round 11 defeat to the Dolphins on May 15, when a back injury triggered a lingering nerve issue that ultimately spread to cause a persistent calf complaint that has kept him off the pitch for months. Rabbitohs winger Campbell Graham, who is also managing his own calf injury, shared the latest update on Mitchell’s recovery after joining the star playmaker for his light training session Monday. “I can’t see him suiting up this week, and I don’t have a clear timeline for when he’ll be back, but whenever he’s available, we’ll welcome him with open arms,” Graham told reporters. “We only did a short session of jogging and stride outs, and I don’t have a full read on his physical readiness for match play just yet, but there’s definitely still hope he’ll pull through and get back on the pitch this year. It’s really good to see the big fella out there putting in the work – it’s clear he’s one step closer to a possible return. “Any time he can pull on the jersey for us is a win, and I’ve been really impressed with how he’s handled this whole tough period. I know firsthand how demoralizing it can be when you’re stuck on the sidelines, not knowing when or if you’ll be able to play again. It can feel like there’s no end in sight, but Mitchell has handled it like a true professional. He’s stayed in great shape even when he couldn’t do much on-field training, and he’s made all the right choices off the pitch to make sure he’ll be ready the second he gets the green light to return. His hunger to get back out there with the group is a really great example for all of us, too.” Graham is no stranger to the frustration of injury layoffs himself, after a calf injury forced him to miss South Sydney’s Round 23 win against Parramatta Eels. Initially, there were concerns the winger would be sidelined for multiple weeks, but he pushed through to return in last weekend’s critical clash against the Canterbury Bulldogs, a win that has all but locked in South Sydney’s spot in the 2024 NRL finals. “Coming back so soon did carry some risk, but this was such a big game for us, and I knew I had to be out there to help us get the result we needed,” Graham explained. “I’m just glad we walked away with the two points, and even happier that I got through the match without any new issues. “This is going to be an ongoing thing I manage through training load management for the rest of the season, but getting that first match back under my belt was a huge step in the right direction. I have full faith in our club’s medical staff to help me manage this moving forward, so I can stay on the pitch for the games that matter most.”
‘Doubt it’: Latrell Mitchell return delayed by another week as teammate shrugs off own calf issue
