They're the closest mates off the footy field, but on Sunday afternoon, Cody Walker and Latrell Mitchell will line up opposing one another, just as they did in their NRL debuts.
The South Sydney superstars made their NRL debuts in the same clash - a Round 1, 2016 match between the Roosters and Rabbitohs at Allianz Stadium, pitting an 18 year-old winger named Latrell against a 26 year-old debutant five-eighth, standing in for the suspended Luke Keary.
Walker got the chocolates in his first NRL game, securing a 42-16 season-opening victory, in the only year that's seen both foundation clubs miss the finals over the last decade.
The pair will reignite on opposite sides of the field on Sunday, as the duo run out in the Koori Knockout in Nowra. Mitchell is representing the Walgett Aboriginal Connection, while Walker has elected the Bunjalung Baygal Warriors as his side for the annual tournament.
Latrell will enter with the advantage, joined by co-stars Joel Thompson, George Rose and Ben Barba in a Walgett jersey.
Barba and TRELLMIT carve up for Walgett๐ฅ๐ค #KooriKnockout ๐ฅ @Rabbitohs_TV pic.twitter.com/fhrkIEXLG4
— South Sydney Rabbitohs ๐ฐ (@SSFCRABBITOHS) October 1, 2022
The biggest absentee of the weekend has been Mitchell's reported rib cartilage injury, which he allegedly received pre-game and half-time pain-killing injections to manage during their preliminary final loss to the Penrith Panthers.
While Mal Meninga will have his heart in his mouth as his superstar left centre risks hurting himself a fortnight before the World Cup, the Rabbitohs are backing the pair's decision to play in the tournament.
โAbsolutely we are,โ CEO Blake Solly told The Daily Telegraph.
โWe're really supportive of all our guys playing because it's a wonderful and important tournament for the Indigenous community.โ
There's sure to be a few barbs and jabs traded through gritted grins as friend becomes foe, and the Rabbitohs' team mates turn rivals for the afternoon.
