Source : the age
Latrell Mitchell could make a long-awaited return for South Sydney this weekend, with coach Wayne Bennett admitting: “He’s a chance. He’ll still have to get through a couple of training sessions, but he’s some chance.”
Bennett said last week Mitchell was likely to be held back for the penultimate week of the season – a round-26 clash against the Gold Coast Titans – but welcomed the prospect of having Mitchell back a week earlier, especially if his body could cope with a few opposed sessions.
Mitchell’s season looked over a few weeks ago, but he again trained away from the group on a soggy Monday morning as he overcomes a nerve issue in his lower back, which is causing problems down his leg and calf.
The 29-year-old injured his back in an outstanding individual performance against Newcastle in round nine, then missed a week before aggravating it against the Dolphins during Magic Round. He hasn’t played since.
Should Mitchell’s name be included on the team sheet on Tuesday, Bennett hinted he was unlikely to start, and would be eased into the game off the bench.
Tallis Duncan has been playing at left centre in Mitchell’s absence, but is even more effective in the back row, which he will do when Mitchell returns.
South Sydney need to win one of their remaining three games to cement a spot in the finals, and having a player such as Mitchell available would be a huge boost.
The Rabbitohs host the high-flying New Zealand Warriors on Saturday at Accor Stadium, the Sydney Olympic Park venue where they have not lost a game this season.
“I don’t know how far off he [Mitchell] is – the physios have a better understanding of that – but he was out there today doing strides … he’s a step closer again,” outside back Campbell Graham said on Monday.
“Whenever he’s ready to go, we’ll more than welcome him back. We need to keep building as a group; we want to be a well-oiled machine by the time he’s back so he can come in and do his thing.
“He’s handled this situation well. And I’ve been there before where there’s no definite light at the end of the tunnel in terms of when you’ll be playing again. It’s a tough spot to be in.
“But he’s full of energy, comes in every day smiling, and he’s great to have around the place.”
Graham played his “veteran’s card” to join the rehab group on Monday as part of “load management” to avoid any fresh calf injuries.
“I was stoked to get through the game last Friday,” he said. “I’m not out of the woods just yet, and I still have to manage my training loads.”
No Red V lifeline as Sloan seeks Super League answers
Dragons flyer Tyrell Sloan says he has been “left in the dark” about the future of Castleford coach Ryan Carr, as St George Illawarra rule out extending an NRL lifeline to him and teammates Damien Cook and Mat Feagai if they look to back out of their Super League deals.
Sloan conceded after the Dragons’ two-point win over Wests Tigers on Sunday that he has had second thoughts about his move to Castleford given the uncertainty around Carr’s position. Carr was a key reason Sloan signed a two-year deal with the club last month.
Carr, who coached Sloan as an assistant and interim head coach at the Dragons, has been absent from Castleford for the past two weeks after the club launched an investigation into the 38-year-old with little detail or public explanation as to why.
Castleford head of football Chris Chester has spoken to the Dragons trio and told them they remain in the club’s plans for next season regardless of Carr’s situation.
St George Illawarra have moved on in their roster planning for 2027 and have privately conveyed that they do not have room for Sloan, Cook and Feagai in their salary cap after a significant recruitment and retention spree.
“It definitely puts a big dent in things for me, I’ll be honest,” Sloan said. “Carry was a big reason why I signed over there.
“Obviously we had a relationship here at the Dragons and I don’t really know the situation with him. We’ve been left in the dark.
“I’m really excited to go over there if Carry is there, but I just don’t know if that’s going to be the case there. Hopefully I’ll find out soon what’s going on and they make a decision.
“I have thought about [trying to stay in the NRL], but I also have to keep playing good footy here to finish the season on a high.”
Sloan, 24, has been playing with a new lease on life since Dean Young took charge of the Dragons, scoring eight tries in his past eight games.
His time under predecessor Shane Flanagan was far less consistent with several demotions to reserve grade, and 18 months ago he was given permission to explore an early exit from the joint-venture.
Immortal Andrew Johns has argued Sloan is “too good a player to be leaving the NRL at this age”, but the Indigenous All Stars representative acknowledged his form in previous years hadn’t left him with many options.
“I didn’t really have much [many options] in the NRL, and nothing really made sense, you know, to play in another jersey in the NRL,” Sloan said.
“But Joey’s always been really good to me since I came into first grade and to be getting a fair rap from someone who has done everything in the game, I hold that in such respect. At the moment, I’ve got the Super League deal and at the end of it, I’ll only be 26. I’ve been in first grade since I was 18 so no matter what happens, I’d say I’ve got a lot of NRL left in me.”
