Latrell Mitchell has made a compelling case for his return to the NSW squad with a stellar performance as South Sydney clinched back-to-back wins for the first time this season, defeating the Gold Coast Titans 46-12 at Cbus Super Stadium.
Mitchell’s performance was instrumental, contributing two try assists, scoring a try himself, and converting six out of seven attempts, reinforcing his prospects for Origin II selection under coach Michael Maguire. The Queensland sunshine saw Mitchell at his best, demonstrating his skills and leadership on the field.
Despite some flashes of offensive promise, the Gold Coast Titans were marred by errors, which South Sydney capitalized on, particularly through the talents of Mitchell, Cody Walker, and Damien Cook. The Rabbitohs’ spine, rarely as synchronized in 2024, orchestrated a commanding eight-try performance that left the outcome clear shortly after halftime.
The Titans managed to score only through a brilliant solo effort by Alofiana Khan-Pereira, who dodged multiple defenders, including Mitchell, to score. Their next points didn’t come until the 70th minute, with David Fifita adding a late try for some consolation.
Mitchell’s Display Catches Maguire’s Eye
With Joseph Suaalii suspended, there is a vacancy at the center for the NSW Blues in the upcoming game. Mitchell’s exceptional performance would have surely caught coach Maguire’s attention. Mitchell ended the match with 16 points, including a try, two try assists, and six successful conversions.
Rabbitohs interim coach Ben Hornby praised Mitchell’s display, stating, “He was great today. I can’t see why he can’t keep getting better.” When asked about Mitchell’s potential selection for NSW in Melbourne, Hornby said, “I’m not sure. I’ve been happy with him for the last couple of weeks. Yeah, he’s going to continue to get better so I can’t see why Madge wouldn’t want to pick him.”
Mitchell was active from the start, handling early high balls and executing two attacking kicks as the new halves pairing of Walker and Jack Wighton took on the kicking duties. His synergy with Cook, Walker, and Wighton provided Souths with a level of stability and offensive potency they have largely missed this season. Cook’s run from dummy-half that set up Mitchell’s opening try underscored this cohesion.
Walker highlighted Mitchell’s contribution, saying, “He was outstanding today. His kicking game is unbelievable, he’s got the biggest boot in our team and it starts our defensive sets off right.”
Mitchell also showcased his playmaking abilities, setting up a try for Richard Kennar with a deft pass and sending Tom Burgess over the line with another assist, further solidifying his defensive efforts with crucial tackles despite a missed one-on-one tackle on Khan-Pereira.
Rabbitohs Dominate the Titans
Cook initiated Souths’ scoring spree, breaking through a gap in the Titans’ defense and passing to Mitchell, who finished the play. Walker then demonstrated his creativity, delivering a cut-out pass for Jacob Gagai’s corner try. An unfortunate injury to Siliva Havili, who left with a calf issue, was the only dampener for South Sydney.
Walker capitalized on a mistake from Khan-Pereira, who fumbled Mitchell’s bomb, granting Walker an easy path to the try line and extending Souths’ lead to 16 points at halftime.
Though the Titans had a fleeting moment of hope when Keano Kini appeared to score early in the second half, it was ruled a double movement. Mitchell responded by feigning an outside pass before sending a short-range pass to Tom Burgess, who powered over for another Rabbitohs try.
A chargedown on Wighton’s kick from a scrum offered the Titans another chance, but they failed to convert. Instead, South Sydney secured the two competition points with a try from Davvy Moale.
David Fifita’s late try provided some cheer for the home fans as he powered through several Souths defenders. His emotional display towards Walker, with whom he had been battling since halftime, added a dramatic note to the otherwise one-sided match.
Walker acknowledged Fifita’s physicality, saying, “He’s a big boy, he got me a couple of times there. (I was) picking myself off the ground. He’s a big part of their team, he’s very dangerous, hard to handle one-on-one and he got me a few times one-on-one close to the line, bumped me off, in the middle part of the game.”
Wighton further extended Souths’ lead, breaking through the Titans’ defense from dummy-half. In an unusual move, Jai Arrow converted the try, bringing Souths’ tally to 40 points. Wighton then managed to offload from a tackle to Walker, who completed his double, rounding off a dominant performance by South Sydney.
This victory not only breaks the back-to-back win drought for South Sydney but also sends a clear message of their potential as they head into the rest of the season, with Mitchell firmly re-establishing himself as a key player.
