With the NRL regular season winding down and finals football just weeks away, a flurry of last-minute team announcements has shaken up premiership odds, headlined by long-injured South Sydney Rabbitohs superstar Latrell Mitchell’s surprise inclusion in Saturday’s clash against the New Zealand Warriors.
Mitchell has not taken the field since South Sydney’s 15 May defeat to the Dolphins, sidelined for almost three months by a complicated injury set that began with a back issue, triggered a nerve complaint, and ultimately developed into a secondary calf problem. The representative star was forced to miss the entire 2024 State of Origin series, but his naming in the 22 on South Sydney’s extended bench has reignited the club’s premiership aspirations, which were flagging during his extended absence.
The star completed light running drills at Rabbitohs training earlier this week, leaving coach Wayne Bennett with two strategic options if Mitchell receives final medical clearance to return. The veteran coach could opt to slowly reintroduce the playmaker from the interchange bench, or throw him straight into a starting spot at left centre as the club chokes a vital win to shore up its finals position.
For the Warriors, the match-up brings its own selection shifts. The club opted not to hand young playmaker Jett Cleary his NRL debut this week, also naming him to the extended bench. Luke Hanson will step into the starting halves pair alongside Chanel Harris-Tavita, after Luke Metcalf became the latest Warriors playmaker to fall victim to a hamstring injury. The Warriors will also be without suspended centre Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, who was banned after a tackle that ended Brisbane Broncos star Reece Walsh’s season prematurely.
Elsewhere across the league, the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles have received a much-needed boost with star fullback Tom Trbojevic cleared to return from his latest hamstring injury, a massive lift for a side desperate to force its way into finals contention. However, the club suffered a devastating counter-blow: young halfback Joey Walsh has been ruled out indefinitely after sustaining a hairline jaw fracture during last round’s loss to the Dolphins. Clayton Faulalo will step into Walsh’s spot in the halves for Manly’s clash against the Newcastle Knights.
Newcastle, for their part, will be without experienced centre Dane Gagai but welcome back starting centre Bradman Best from his own injury layoff. Another elite fullback is also set to return this weekend: Sydney Roosters captain James Tedesco has been named in the squad for his side’s match-up against his former club, the Wests Tigers.
For the Wests Tigers, the 2024 season of struggle continues to worsen. The club confirmed this week that halfback Adam Doueihi will miss the rest of the season after undergoing season-ending shoulder reconstruction surgery. “New scans on Adam’s shoulder have showed the time has come to have his reconstruction done. This gives him enough time to be ready for the start of the 2027 season,” explained Wests Tigers head of high performance Peter Moussa. The Tigers have also lost young playmaker Latu Fainu to a new hamstring injury, leading to Jock Madden being named to partner Jarome Luai in the starting halves for the round.
Melbourne Storm have added hooker Harry Grant, one of the league’s top dummy halves, back to their starting line-up for Thursday night’s match against the Penrith Panthers, after Grant missed several weeks with a hamstring injury. Star halfback Jahrome Hughes remains sidelined for the Storm, so Trent Toelau will get the starting spot at halfback. Penrith, the reigning premiers, will welcome young gun Casey McLean back to the starting centre spot, replacing the injured Paul Alamoti who is out with a hamstring injury.
The Cronulla Sharks, fighting to hold onto a top-four finish, have turned to playmaker Niwhai Puru to fill the void left by Braydon Trindall, the team’s try-assist leader who dislocated his shoulder in last week’s round. The Dolphins will name Max Plath on the edge for their upcoming match, with regular starter Connelly Lemuelu unavailable.
In Canberra, Raiders legend Josh Papalii will make his final starting appearance at the club’s home ground, in front of a home crowd before his impending retirement from the NRL. The Raiders face the struggling Brisbane Broncos, who have recalled experienced halfback Ben Hunt to the starting line-up, with Hayze Perham stepping into the line-up to replace the injured Reece Walsh.