NRL fans all say same thing after eye-opening vision emerges of Latrell Mitchell
While Murray could be out for the majority of the season, Mitchell was looking at around eight weeks on the sideline. This was a shame for the Rabbitohs fullback who was looking in top shape during pre-season. Incredibly, the Rabbitohs have started 2-0 in 2025 - despite a mounting injury toll - and young fullback Jye Gray has impressed wearing the No.1 jersey.
This has opened up the debate on whether Gray should retain the No.1 jersey when Mitchell returns. Although fans are starting to get excited again after footage showed Mitchell going through drills at South Sydneys headquarters only five weeks after the injury.
And the sentiment is Mitchell looks in sensational shape as he looks to silence his doubters in 2025. The fullback reportedly locked into pre-season training with his old mentor returning to the club. One fan noted it looks like Mitchell has a point to prove after a turbulent season in 2024.
Mitchell was a star for NSW in State of Origin Game 2 last year having torn Queensland apart on the left edge. However, he hardly played for the Rabbitohs after the mid-season Origin game having injured his troubled calf. Mitchell was then suspended for one game and then copped a $20,000 fine after a photo emerged of him with what appeared to be a white substance during a trip to Dubbo for coaching clinics last year.
The fullback largely stayed out of the media in the off-season and appeared to be working hard in solitude in a bid to prove all his critics wrong. Rabbitohs fans will welcome back Mitchell with the likes of Tyrone Munro, Euan Aitken and Murray all missing games to start the season. Lachlan Hubner and Jack Wighton have also copped suspensions.
Trell looks good. I hope that he can return soon. ❤️💚🐰💪💪
— Karina Haase (@KarinaHaase) March 19, 2025
He looks in immense shape @LordRawls
— Kai (@Kait8908) March 19, 2025
Damnnnn trell looks fit!
— c (@chrispopovic28) March 19, 2025
Trell lookin like he's got a point to prove this year
— user (@AustraliaSniper) March 19, 2025
While fans are excited, the biggest question is where Mitchell returns with Gray setting the standard early in the season. The young Rabbitohs fullback sits second on the Dally M count after two rounds having played a pivotal role for South Sydney to start the season. In the absence of Mitchell, Gray has improved on his debut season last year and taken his game to another level.
Gray ran for a staggering 256 metres, he also ran for more than 200 metres last week, made a linebreak and opened the scoring against the Dragons on the weekend. Jamie Humphreys may have received the plaudits for icing the field goal in the 25-24 victory, but it was Gray's industrious work that helped turn the Rabbitohs around.
And his two energetic performances continues to raise questions to where Mitchell will slide back in when he returns. Footage shows Mitchell is getting closer to returning. And it is no secret the 27-year-old prefers to play fullback having held the Rabbitohs No.1 jersey for the last few years.
But Mitchell made his name as a centre for the Roosters and represented NSW during State of Origin last year in this position. Wayne Bennett may have been set to start Mitchell at fullback for his first game back as coach of the Rabbitohs, but the scenario has slightly changed due to Gray's displays. Regardless, Mitchell will be a huge addition to the team in either the No.1 jersey or at centre.
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WHAT HEAT CAN OFFER OUTSIDE FREE AGENTS If the Heat doesn't bring back Robinson, it will have enough room under the luxury tax to use the $14.1 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception and/or the $5.1 million bi-annual exception to offer outside free agents without crossing the first apron. This is important because using either the non-taxpayer midlevel exception or the bi-annual exception would hard cap the Heat at the first apron of $195.9 million. The issue with using the full $14.1 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception is the Heat is only $11.6 million away from the luxury-tax line, which Miami is expected to try to avoid this upcoming season. So, the Heat could instead choose to use the $5.7 million taxpayer midlevel exception to add an outside free agent instead of the $14.1 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception and/or the $5.1 million bi-annual exception. The benefit in doing this is that using the $5.7 million taxpayer midlevel exception would keep the Heat out of the luxury tax and only hard cap the Heat at the second apron of $207.8 million. The Heat also has three trade exceptions at its disposal of $16.1 million (expires on Feb. 6, 2026), $3.1 million (expires on Feb. 6, 2026) and $2.1 million (expires on Dec. 15, 2025). But using a trade exception, which allows a team to acquire a player in a trade even if their salary would otherwise put the team over the salary cap, hard caps teams at the first apron. Among the outside midlevel exception options in free agency are Bruce Brown, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Ty Jerome, D'Angelo Russell, Brook Lopez, Clint Capela, Luke Kornet, Spencer Dinwiddie, Guerschon Yabusele, Al Horford, Caris LeVert, Tim Hardaway Jr., Dorian Finney-Smith, Gary Trent Jr., Russell Westbrook, Malcolm Brogdon, Chris Boucher, Amir Coffey, Luke Kennard, Gary Payton II, Dennis Schroder, Chris Paul, Tyus Jones, Jaxson Hayes, Tre Jones, Monte Morris, Kevin Porter Jr., Ben Simmons, Seth Curry, De'Anthony Melton, Talen-Horton Tucker, Cameron Payne, Kevon Looney, Landry Shamet, Precious Achiuwa, Jake LaRavia, Trey Lyles, Doug McDermott, Larry Nance Jr., Taurean Prince, Paul Reed, Mason Plumlee, Dalano Banton, Garrison Matthews, Nic Batum, Kyle Lowry, Gary Harris, Trendon Watford, Javonte Green, Eric Gordon, Dante Exum, Marvin Bagley, Cam Reddish, Josh Richardson, Alex Len, Torrey Craig, Moe Wagner, Lonnie Walker IV and James Wiseman. Among the outside restricted free agents who have been linked to the Heat by multiple reports is Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga. The Heat has some level of interest in Kuminga, but is currently exploring other potential moves, according to a league source. Any move for Kuminga would almost definitely need to come through a sign-and-trade transaction since Miami doesn't have cap space and he's expected to get more than midlevel money, and any team that acquires a player through a sign-and-trade is hard-capped at the first apron of $195.9 million. RUN IT BACK? With the Heat's roster just one short of the regular-season limit of 15 players on standard contracts, the only new face on the current roster is Jakucionis. The two players from last season's Heat season-ending roster currently not yet committed to return to Miami are Burks and Robinson. Burks signed a one-year veteran minimum contract with the Heat last summer and again will likely need to settle for a minimum deal to re-sign with the Heat this summer. Burks has made it clear that he hopes to return to the Heat. 'The only thing I'm looking at is coming back here,' Burks said on June 17 of his desire to return to the Heat in free agency. 'Everything else is what it is.' Burks, who turns 34 on July 20, shot a career-best 42.5% from three-point range on 4.2 three-point attempts this past regular season in his first season with the Heat. But if Robinson returns, there wouldn't be an open roster spot for Burks unless the Heat makes a trade to free room on its roster. Either way, the Heat could end up bringing back 14 of the 15 players from last season's season-ending roster if Burks or Robinson return. Of course, an offseason Heat trade would shake things up.
