Still the No.1: Why Souths have parked plans for Latrell to play centre

2 days ago 2

South Sydney loved watching Latrell Mitchell star successful the centres for NSW past week, but won’t beryllium temped to determination him retired of fullback this weekend.

Mitchell was a standout astatine near centre for the Blues, raising the imaginable of a akin positional power successful for the Rabbitohs, with Jye Gray acceptable to slot successful astatine No.1.

But interim manager Ben Hornby said Mitchell’s numbers from fullback since helium returned from suspension successful circular 10 were excessively bully to hazard moving him. Souths are hunting their 5th consecutive triumph against Parramatta connected Thursday night.

Manly person moved their ain prima fullback Tom Trbojevic to the centres aft his instrumentality from a hamstring injury, but Souths admit they person truthful overmuch to summation with their main attacking limb successful the custodian role.

Keeping Mitchell astatine the backmost besides gives him much accidental to utilise his agelong kicking game, with respective floating bombs having troubled the Broncos during his past nine outing, said Hornby.

“Latrell is our champion fullback, it’s that simple,” Hornby told this masthead. “If you look astatine his stats since helium came backmost from suspension, they would beryllium adjacent – if not amended – than immoderate different fullback successful the comp.

Why Souths person parked immoderate plans to determination Latrell Mitchell to the centres

“We person to look astatine what he’s doing successful that position, not conscionable centre. He tin popular up everyplace astatine fullback. And he’s been having 3 and 4 effort involvements each crippled since his comeback.

“Another happening … helium has been capable to bash from the backmost is his kicking game. It is truthful important. Latrell and Cam [Murray] person travel backmost good from Origin, and are keen to rip successful this week.

“Jye has lone been backmost 1 week, truthful it’s astir apt amended for him to get a afloat crippled successful the NSW Cup, and truthful he’s acceptable to capable successful for Latrell erstwhile helium hopefully gets picked for Origin III. He did a large occupation astatine the backmost past game, helium conscionable needs immoderate much crippled time.”

Since his three-match prohibition for elbowing Shaun Johnson successful the face, Mitchell has scored 5 tries and had 10 effort assists successful 5 games. He terrorised Queensland successful his archetypal Origin crippled successful 3 years.

“You ever consciousness assured erstwhile Latrell successful your team, but it was besides large seeing him going successful connected the large signifier and showing everyone what helium tin do,” said Souths prop Tom Burgess, who added helium was a arrogant “Blue” aft being a long-time NSW resident.

Forward Keaon Koloamatangi added astir Mitchell: “You spot what Trell did past Wednesday, and what helium has done since he’s travel backmost from suspension. When he’s ‘on’, he’s the champion subordinate successful the comp by far. He brings america that aura and confidence.

“I don’t deliberation determination is immoderate different fullback successful the comp similar him. He’s our X-factor.”

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