The South Sydney Rabbitohs continued their dreaded Heffron Park injury curse during 2026, and while Wayne Bennett found a way to get his side back in to the finals, they still fell short of where they really should have been.

Latrell Mitchell's inability to stay on the field was a major cause for concern for the Maroubra-based outfit, to the point question marks over whether he should be retained beyond the end of 2027 have been raised.

The injuries, as well as salary cap uncertainty, saw South Sydney put a contract negotiation freeze across the club.

It didn't impact their work outside the four walls, but everyone apart from Tallis Duncan was frozen in place.

South Sydney managed to sign their star second-rower long-term, and talks with Mitchell are set to reopen in March if he hasn't found a new club by then, but it has left the Rabbitohs with a stack of work to do both internally and externally as they aim to build a premiership-challenging squad.

Here is the state of play for the Rabbitohs with November 1 around the corner.

Current 2028 squad

Tallis Duncan, Maddax Fui, Jye Gray, Payne Haas, Lachlan Hubner, Dayne Jennings, Sean Keppie, Cameron Murray, Brandon Smith, Tevita Tatola, Dean Tauaa, Ashton Ward

Off-contract at the end of 2027

Euan Aitken, David Fifita, Thomas Fletcher, Bronson Garlick, Jonah Glover, Campbell Graham, Matthew Humphries, Elijah Keung, Edward Kosi, Peter Mamouzelos, Latrell Mitchell, Tyrone Munro, Talanoa Penitani, Latrell Siegwalt, Jayden Sullivan, Isaiah Tass, Jack Wighton

Current 2028 best 19

1. Jye Gray
2. Dayne Jennings
3. Dean Tauaa
4. No player signed.
5. No player signed.
6. No player signed.
7. Ashton Ward
8. Payne Haas
9. Brandon Smith
10. Tevita Tatola
11. Tallis Duncan
12. No player signed.
13. Cameron Murray

Interchange
14. Lachlan Hubner
15. Sean Keppie
16. Maddax Fui
17. No player signed.
18. No player signed.
19. No player signed.

The Rabbitohs have just 12 players signed for 2028 - among the lowest in the competition - as November 1 approaches.

That certainly leaves them vulnerable to a raid, but also, potentially not in a position they hate given many of their off-contract list they may be willing to let depart.

All the attention has been on Latrell Mitchell, but David Fifita is understood to be close to re-signing.

They will however scour the market for forwards and halves in the meantime, although you could also argue outside backs will be a priority, even if Mitchell does stay - the move of Alex Johnston to the PNG Chiefs for the 2028 campaign leaves them somewhat vulnerable on the wing.

Option 3: Ryley Smith (Parramatta Eels)

The Rabbitohs have re-signed Brandon Smith for the long-term, but he is currently the only dummy half on the books for the Maroubra-based outfit.

Peter Mamouzelos will leave at the end of 2027 if not before and the jury is well and truly out on any other options they have in the system.

That means they should head to the open market for at least one, if not more, dummy halves.

Brandon Smith has also spent time in other positions, making this the most obvious play.

Ryley Smith, out of favour and down the pecking order at Parramatta, will be looking for a new club.

He will come fairly cheap, and has proven he has what it takes to hang at NRL level. This would simply be good business for the Rabbitohs.