South Sydney superstar Latrell Mitchell has delighted the Rabbitohs with his fitness levels in his return from his end-of-season break on Monday.
The Rabbitohs formally began the Wayne Bennett era with a group session at their Maroubra headquarters on Monday and all eyes were on Mitchell.
The enigmatic superstar looked trim and terrific and had a broad smile on his face as the players went through their paces.
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“Wayne gave them all a warning that they better not come back overweight and clearly the message sunk in – not just with Latrell but will all of them,” chief executive Blake Solly told Wide World of Sports.
“But Latrell really caught the eye – he has lost a bunch of weight and is a lot fitter than at this stage last year.
“It’s a good sign because he finished last season with a foot injury and could have just taken it easy.
“But he has clearly been working in the gym and watching what he has been eating and it is a great sign for the club.”
Mitchell didn’t have surgery on the foot but was ordered not to run for several weeks.
But he is back on light duties and the club is hoping he can now play in round one by serving his one match suspension for this season’s white powder scandal in the All Stars game.
Injuries restricted Mitchell to just 11 games last season – the least in his five seasons at the Rabbitohs and also the least since he burst into first grade with the Roosters in 2016.
The star fullback is the key man in Souths’ finals bid in 2025 after the club experienced a horror season this year.