Latrell Mitchell in massive update for South Sydney fans amid fears NRL season is over

South Sydney's hopes of qualifying for the NRL finals look to have been given a major boost amid reports superstar fullback Latrell Mitchell could return from a foot injury as soon as round 24. There were fears Mitchell may have needed season-ending surgery on the Lisfranc injury he picked up during a game against Parramatta in round 18 that saw the South Sydney lynchpin ruled out of the State of Origin decider for NSW, having starred in Game 2.

According to reports from News Corp, however, Mitchell met with specialists on Thursday and scans cleared him for a likely return in around three weeks' time. It means he could be back for the Bunnies' round 24 clash against the Wests Tigers, with games against the Knights, Panthers and Roosters to round out the regular season.

Mitchell has been integral to South Sydney's stunning return to form, with the club winning six games from its last seven to move into 12th on the ladder. The Rabbitohs still face an uphill battle to qualify for the finals though and would probably need to win at least five of their remaining seven games to have a chance, starting with Sunday night's away game against fellow top-eight hopefuls Canberra.

The NRL Physio account confirmed Mitchell's positive injury update and said the foot was healing well enough to avoid surgery that would have ended his season early. "Latrell Mitchell could return in as little as 3 weeks (Round 24) after scans brought positive news (via @MCarayannis)," he posted on X. "Scans on a Lisfranc injury like this used to check the widening of the joint and healing of the ligaments which both seem to be heading in the right direction.

Souths face tough run of games without Latrell Mitchell

Injuries, Origin and suspension have limited Mitchell to just 11 games for the Rabbitohs so far this season, meaning he might only play 15 games at best for Souths in 2024 unless they can qualify for the finals. Jye Gray will continue to fill the fullback role for interim coach Ben Hornby's side but they'll have their work cut out to remain in finals contention without their inspirational No.1 for the next three weeks, with games against top-four contenders Cronulla and Melbourne to follow Sunday night's Raiders clash.

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Hornby revealed earlier in the month that Mitchell would likely still be sent for surgery on the injury if it gets to the point where Souths are out of finals contention. The brutal reality of South Sydney's upcoming fixtures means that while the injury news is positive for Mitchell, there is still the possibility he's played his last game for the Bunnies in 2024.

"He doesn't feel like it is too sore at the moment, so that is keeping him a bit more upbeat than if it was completely gone," Hornby said earlier this month. "We certainly hope (he can avoid surgery). We can't predict that, and I'm not a doctor. We'll see how the scan goes in four weeks time."

Souths won five games in a row before the injury to Mitchell to rise up the ladder and reignite their finals hopes. However, the Bunnies have only tasted victory in two of the six games they've played without their inspirational fullback - highlighting just how big an influence the two-time premiership winner has on the side.