South Sydney Rabbitohs dummy half Damien Cook has revealed he believes Latrell Mitchell will be fit in time for State of Origin Game 1.
The first game of the Origin series is just over eight weeks away, and the star fullback was ruled out by his club for a period of eight weeks on Monday with a hamstring injury.
However, the nature of the injury, in the tendon rather than the muscle, can create a notoriously slower recovery, with it being tricky to manage and return to full fitness.
State of Origin coach Brad Fittler has already indicated the players he believes are in line to replace Mitchell, although stopped short of saying Mitchell would miss out or anointing a favourite out of Bradman Best, Stephen Crichton or Matt Burton.
Cook, who will also line up for Origin 1 at dummy half, told reporters that he knows Mitchell will be there.
"I know he's going to be there," Cook said.
"That (Origin) is probably another target for him to make sure he's back for that. We saw how good he is in that arena with Tom Trbojevic in the centres. They were pretty impressive last year.
"No doubt he'll be doing everything he can to get back for club footy, get some time under his belt and then get on with Origin."
Blake Taaffe will fill in at fullback for Mitchell at club level for the time being, with the youngster getting another chance to push his claim for permanent inclusion in Jason Demetriou's side.
Fittler, in anointing the favourites to take over from Mitchell, said he believes Origin means so much to Mitchell that he will be fit.
“Just knowing how much it meant to Latrell last year to get back in the team, and how well he performed, I’m holding out that eight weeks might turn into six weeks," Fittler said.
Still, South Sydney physio Eddie Farah was less convinced in South Sydney's injury update.
"There was a definite tear in the hamstring and the tear was located in the tendon, rather than the muscle," Farah said on Mitchell.
"What that means is that recovery will be a lot slower.
"The tendon will heal a lot slower than the muscle strain, so we expect Latrell to be out for around eight weeks."
