Latrell Mitchell has been cleared to return for Magic Round, but there is a slight catch to the South Sydney star’s comeback. The update landed as clubs around the competition locked in late changes on the eve of a busy weekend, with Mitchell the headline name in a round already thick with injury and selection movement.
The clearest long-term setback in the latest nrl late mail came from Canberra, where Simi Sasagi was ruled out for four to six weeks after hurting his shoulder against the Panthers in Round 10. The Raiders said he has no structural damage and will not need surgery, but he is still expected to miss 4-6 weeks, a blow that removes a useful squad option through the middle of the season.
Mitchell’s return matters because South Sydney badly needs him back on the field, even if the exact wrinkle attached to his comeback was not spelled out in the visible update. In a round where every club is trying to patch holes before kick-off, his clearance gives the Rabbitohs a lift at the same time the Dolphins were dealt a fresh setback, losing Francis Molo to an ankle injury before their clash with South Sydney.
The broader picture is a familiar one for Magic Round: late changes, fresh injury lists and a scramble to reshuffle. The Sharks and Bulldogs met at Suncorp Stadium on Friday at 6.00pm AEST, and the team sheets reflected the churn. Hohepa Puru started at hooker for Cronulla, with Jayden Berrell shifted back to the bench, while Ronaldo Mulitalo was ready to make his return from an ACL injury. Braden Hamlin-Uele was also promoted onto a six-man bench and could make his first appearance since Round 4.
Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon said Hamlin-Uele had been kept on ice for weeks and had trained consistently with the group, describing the comeback as exciting for the team and noting the prop’s value and energy. That was the sort of late-week boost clubs were hunting, especially with the Bulldogs also short on numbers: Sam Hughes was out with a neck injury and Josh Curran with a rib problem, while Jack Underhill was called into Canterbury’s squad after the NRL granted the club an exemption.
Canberra’s injury note, though, is the part most likely to linger beyond the round itself. Sasagi’s absence strips depth from a side already trying to manage the season carefully, and the Raiders’ own update made the timeline plain: no surgery, no structural damage, but a wait of several weeks before he can return.
There were also whispers of more moving pieces elsewhere, with the Tigers’ injury list growing and the Storm providing an update on Xavier Coates, though no further details were visible in the latest note. For now, the latest nrl late mail is less about one club than the weekly cost of getting to this point in the season: the names change, the problems do not, and the coaches are left making do before the first whistle even sounds.
