When Latrell Mitchell made the switch to South Sydney in 2020 from arch-rivals the Sydney Roosters, people were quick to bag the Kangaroo, declaring he'd never make it as a fullback.
Now, three years on, Latrell Mitchell is eyeing the NRL's Everest in 2023.
The Rabbitohs have made a preliminary final in every season during Mitchell's stint at the club, however the 25-year-old has played in just one after suffering a severe hamstring injury during his first season before being suspended late in 2021.
The former centre has a massive effect on South Sydney's premiership chances, winning nearly 73% of his games at the club across 48 matches, and no signs of slowing down this season.
Mitchell is at home in Redfern, building a close bond with five-eighth Cody Walker, a big factor as to why Latrell re-signed with the club until 2027 over the off-season, while Walker extended his deal until 2025.
The pair debuted in the same NRL match, on opposite sides of the field from one another.
Latrell is now a leader, captaining the Rabbitohs for the first time last season while Cameron Murray was on Origin duty, and is ready to break the shackles this season.
โYou've got to chase greatness,โ he told The Daily Telegraph.
โI'm hungrier than ever before.
โThe Dally M is one of those things I'd love to tick off. Why not? It would be really special.
โThere are so many great players so it's going to be hard. Even the players in my team are taking points off each otherโฆ but I know it's achievable.โ
On his day, there's no stopping Latrell. Some have even suggested the Bunnies would've won the premiership in 2021 had Mitchell been available in the finals, eventually losing 14-12 to the Penrith Panthers as rookie Blake Taaffe filled the void.
However other weeks, Latrell lacks motivation, and he'll be the first one to tell you so. The Taree Ferrari has struggled to keep up those dominating performances week in, week out, but he's adamant that's about to change.
โI can do it all on a football field but there's improvement in me for sure,โ he says.
โIt's about doing it consistently and playing good footy week to week.
โGetting into each game. Staying in the game longer. I'm not your regular fullback.
โI tend to show myself when needed. Maybe I'll start the process a bit earlier.
โPlus working on my defensive organisation is important in getting the boys where we need to be.โ
Weight has been a big factor for Mitchell, and not something he's really bought into during his career. The custodian has been happy to let his football do the talking, but after dropping a few kilograms, he's raring to go.
โI don't want to put too much pressure on myself but I'm going to start strong,โ he continued.
โI came back after the World Cup with a goal with my weight, something I've never worried all that much about during the off-season.
โI've worked hard on myself mentally and physically and I feel really good โฆ three or four kilos under my normal playing weight for the first time ever."
After missing the first two State of Origin games with a hamstring tear last season before sitting out the third as returned from the long-term injury, the Blues are eager to have him back into the fold.
The club dominated the 2021 series when he played all three games, and suffered without him last year, losing to Queensland 2-1.
He knows it.
โWe only seem to win when me and Turbo are playing," he grinned.
Mitchell has been named to face the Nicho-less Sharks on Saturday night as the club looks to build on their five consecutive preliminary finals.
