The Rabbitohs are already feeling the effects of new coach Wayne Bennett.
Jimmy Smith, a former NRL player, has prophesied that after getting back together with former coach Wayne Bennett, Latrell Mitchell will silence his detractors and win the Dally M award in 2025. After missing out on the top eight for the second consecutive year, the South Sydney Rabbitohs had again another disappointing season in 2024.
Jason Demetriou left the Rabbitohs halfway through the season, and they never bounced back from their 1-6 start. Additionally, it was revealed following his departure that Bennett will join the team in 2025.
Mitchell will miss Bennett’s first game of the 2025 NRL season since the fullback was given a one-game suspension after a picture of him wearing what looked like white powder surfaced when he was in Dubbo for coaching clinics. Due to a wrist injury sustained while playing for Australia, he will also be without captain Cameron Murray at the beginning of the season.
It will be difficult for Bennett to keep his finest players on the pitch in 2025 because several of them will miss a significant portion of the campaign. Campbell Graham missed the entire season, Murray only played 14 games, and Mitchell only played 11 for the Rabbitohs this season.
In any case, Mitchell already seems to be in peak form early in the preseason, suggesting that Bennett has already brought about change at South Sydney. Mitchell was first commended by Corey Parker, who said the Rabbitohs No. 1 seemed to be working hard during the off-season.
Smith has now jumped on the bandwagon and asserted that the NSW State of Origin centre is prepared for the most significant season of his career. After his suspension against the Warriors this season, Mitchell’s place in the Rabbitohs lineup was questioned; many suggested he should go from fullback to centre.
In 2025, Latrell Mitchell “will win the Dally M medal.”
However, Mitchell came back and improved until his season ended due to a foot injury. Smith has since stated that Mitchell will be more committed than ever to dispelling his sceptics, but he acknowledged that in order to stand a chance, he would need to play more games and be more reliable.
“Latrell Mitchell will win the 2025 Dally M player of the year award, I’ll state that clearly. He might succeed.” Smith stated on SEN Radio on Tuesday. Smith was optimistic about Mitchell’s prospects, and reporter Michael Carayannis concurred that he seems poised for significant progress.
“They’re going to prime him. Carayannis remarked, “You already look at him now…he looks fitter.” “Wayne will be able to control him, hug him, yell at him, and do all Wayne is capable of. And when Wayne departed the club, we could see the shape Latrell was starting to take. That, in my opinion, is a good yell.
Latrell Mitchell is praised by Corey Parker.
In an October interview with SEN Radio, Parker stated that he had recently seen pictures of Mitchell with his family and that the fullback appeared healthy in front of preseason. “I am actually pleased with what I have seen, and what I have not seen, from Latrell,” Parker stated.
“He seemed quite trim in the pictures I saw the other day. He appeared healthy. I hope the future holds some truly positive things. Wayne has obviously spoken with him. Nevertheless, I don’t mind that I haven’t heard Latrell speak out. Latrell, keep your nose down.
Mitchell seems to have put his head down and started working, since he has been silent since the completion of the NRL season. Additionally, Rabbitohs CEO Blake Solly stated last month that some of the players began pre-season early since Bennett was expected to arrive.
“Yeah it’s been an interesting eight weeks since that period when Wayne came down and spoke to the players,” Solly stated. “The 2024 season was just filled with injuries. It seems as though Latrell, Cody (Walker), Jack (Wighton), and Campbell (Graham) have never left because they have been in here two or three days a week receiving rehabilitation and physical therapy for their injuries. They have simply had to continue receiving rehabilitation for those injuries from earlier in the season.
In my opinion, that has prepared them for a strong preseason, and once more, Wayne’s reputation precedes him. Additionally, we already have young players back on deck who are eager to work with him as coaches. The senior lads, who are also thrilled to have him back, want to make sure they’re as fit as possible when they start pre-season after seeing him around the building or in the cafe.”
