“He’s such an intimidating figure,” Renouf said. “He walks around, he’s got his chest out, and you know what he can do.
Latrell Mitchell at training this week.Credit: Shannon Aldwell/South Sydney Rabbitohs
“I can still remember one of his first Origin games [in 2018] up here in Brisbane, he was 10 metres out, and I was thinking to myself, ‘Don’t give him the ball this close because he’s that big and strong he’ll score’. And he did.
“Because of that intimidation factor, Latrell makes any defensive line think twice.”
Arrow has been in Queensland camp before, and knows Mitchell is always a focal point.
“He brings X-factor, confidence to a side, and he’s shown over the years why he’s such a strike player and strike centre – he deserves to be there [for game two],” Arrow said.
“I’m sure after Wednesday’s game, he’ll more than likely be there.
“There’s talk [in camp] about when he gets the ball – especially early ball when he’s so hard to handle – and he always seems to skittle you.
“Out on that edge, he can isolate people, he has that flick pass, can break tackles, intercept, he can do it all.
“There was a time in 2021, maybe Townsville. I flew out of the line and went to hit him as hard as I could, but I was out of my comfort zone. It ended up a mismatch.”
Good chat
Mitchell is one of the few players you constantly hear when watching any South Sydney training session. He was barking orders as rain fell on Friday morning at Heffron Park.
Latrell Mitchell puts a fend on Dane Gagai in 2021.Credit: Getty
Former players continually stress the importance of communication in the Origin arena – but that isn’t always easy given the speed of the game, the noise in the stands, and the fact the player next to you is often from another club.
A centre needs to be in constant dialogue with his back-rower, five-eighth and winger. Mitchell has played with Angus Crichton, Jarome Luai and Brian To’o in the past, and has that ready-made chemistry.
Matt Burton, another centre option, has won a premiership with Luai and To’o, but is not known to be as vocal as Mitchell.
Defensive patience
Mal Meninga used Mitchell in the centres in the Kangaroos’ World Cup winning side in 2022, and cannot recall him ever getting flustered in the defensive line. He has complete faith in the players defending inside him.
“Defensively, as a centre, Latrell would be one of the best defensive centres in the game,” Meninga said. “If you had Stephen Crichton on the right and Latrell on the left, that’s a pretty good duo in my opinion. Latrell just makes really good decisions defensively.
“Even his last game for Souths, he had to move into five-eighth during the game. He was spent physically, but the decisions he made in defence were excellent.”
Meninga predicted that if Mitchell was recalled, the Maroons would direct the attack at him in a bid to tire him out.
Centre specialist: Bradman Best.Credit: Getty
Versatility
Another centre option to Michael Maguire, Bradman Best, would struggle to cover any other position on the field. Burton can slot into five-eighth or halfback.
Mitchell, however, plays fullback for South Sydney every week, and is also capable of slotting into five-eighth. Wayne Bennett once said Mitchell was likely to wear the No. 6 at the back end of his career.
For the criticism levelled at Mitchell for not showing enough urgency in defence when wearing the No.1 jersey for Souths, he will be spared the same busy workload if posted in the centres for the Blues.
Mitchell also has a strong in-game kicking game, can kick goals and also boot field-goals from long range.
X-factor
Few players generate more headlines than Mitchell, but fewer still can win a game with their own skill.
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Mitchell is a genuine game-breaker who can influence a game with one run, fend, or bruising tackle.
At Magic Round,he scored under the posts when four Cowboys defenders failed to contain him from close to the line.
Mitchell played all three games in 2021 when the Blues last won the series. He missed 2022 and 2023 through injury.
Before the first Origin teams were picked this time around, interim Souths coach Ben Hornby said Mitchell was the one player Queensland did not want to face.
And Hornby was not changing his tune ahead of South Sydney’s match against the Titans.
“I wouldn’t want to be standing opposite Latrell in Origin, and my views haven’t changed on that,” Hornby said on Friday.
“Latrell has always been determined [to win his spot back]. I don’t know why we thought he wasn’t. He’s so skilful and so big. It’s a good combination to have, along with his speed and fend. He’s looking forward to having a couple of big games and putting himself back in the picture.”
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