Latrell Mitchell and David Fifita will reportedly have a week off training after the South Sydney stars picked up injury concerns in the pre-season. The Rabbitohs were absolutely ravaged by injuries in 2025, with big-name stars Mitchell, Cody Walker, Cameron Murray and Campbell Graham among the many to spend significant time on the sidelines.
Wayne Bennett’s roster appears to be stacked for 2026, with many predicting they can make the top 8 if they stay injury-free. But it’s a very big ‘if’, and things have already taken an unwanted turn.
Mitchell has reportedly picked up a calf complaint in pre-season training, and won’t train next week as he tries to be fit for the Rabbitohs’ trial games. Mitchell only played 11 games in 2025 due to lower-leg injuries, including calf and foot issues.
He’ll likely make a full-time move to centre in 2026 so Jye Gray can play fullback, but the 28-year-old is now racing the clock to take part in pre-season games. The Bunnies face the Dragons in the annual Charity Shield on February 14, before taking on Manly on February 22nd.
David Fifita sidelined for South Sydney as well
The season proper begins on March 1, with Souths playing their first game on March 8 against the Dolphins. As for Fifita, the former Queensland State of Origin player has reportedly picked up a rib injury.
Fifita was limited to just eight games with the Gold Coast Titans in 2025 due to a foot injury. He underwent surgery on two occasions to fix the issue, before switching to the Rabbitohs in the off-season.
According to The Daily Telegraph, Mitchell and Fifita’s injuries are only minor, but it remains to be seen how much they play in the pre-season. The Rabbitohs would be forgiven for putting their stars on ice before the regular season begins in three weeks’ time.
“He seems happy and he seems like he’s getting fitter, and it seems like he wants to get back to his best footy. There’s no doubt that he’ll get the opportunity to do that here at the club.”
Murray said Mitchell’s switch to centre hadn’t been confirmed as of yet. It’s widely expected that Gray will hold the No.1 jersey after a breakout year in 2025.
