NRL Pre-Season Trials: Big Names Set for New Roles
This weekend’s National Rugby League (NRL) pre-season clashes are set to ignite fan interest with the official confirmation of two of the off-season’s most significant player movements. Latrell Mitchell will don the South Sydney Rabbitohs colours in a new position, while Daly Cherry-Evans will feature in a revamped halves combination for the Sydney Roosters. Team lists released on Tuesday afternoon confirmed these highly anticipated changes, answering lingering questions and adding a significant layer of intrigue to the final trial matches before the season proper kicks off.
Mitchell Shifts to Centre for Souths
For the Rabbitohs faithful, the sight of Latrell Mitchell lining up in the centres will be a familiar one, yet one that officially marks a strategic shift. While many anticipated this move for 2026, Mitchell’s transition to the left centre for Sunday’s encounter against Manly in Mudgee is now a reality. This reshuffling is largely influenced by the emergence of young gun Jye Gray, who impressed significantly at fullback last season, making an irresistible case for the coveted No.1 jersey under coach Wayne Bennett.
Mitchell, widely acknowledged as the Rabbitohs’ premier fullback and a formidable force in the position, also boasts a significant history as a centre. His two premierships with the Roosters were secured while playing in this role, showcasing his versatility and attacking prowess. Gray’s stellar performances last year have now opened the door for Mitchell to leverage his Origin-level centre capabilities, injecting further attacking firepower and dynamic energy into the Rabbitohs’ backline. Jack Wighton is set to partner Mitchell in the other centre position. Mitchell has reportedly overcome a calf issue that previously sidelined him from the Indigenous All Stars fixture, and he has been cleared to play.
The Rabbitohs are fielding a formidable line-up for their trial match, underscoring their ambitions for the upcoming season. Star recruit David Fifita is slated to start in the back row, with Brandon Smith taking on the hooker duties at No. 9. In the halves, young talent Ashton Ward will pair with the experienced Cody Walker, a combination that showed promise towards the end of last season.
Cherry-Evans to Orchestrate from Five-Eighth for Roosters
Meanwhile, the Sydney Roosters are set to unveil their new-look halves pairing, featuring the high-profile recruit Daly Cherry-Evans alongside Sam Walker. The Roosters will face Parramatta in Gosford on Saturday night, providing the first glimpse of Cherry-Evans in his new role. After an illustrious career spent entirely in the halfback position for Manly, the former Sea Eagles captain will now occupy the five-eighth jersey for his new club. Coach Trent Robinson has opted to keep Sam Walker at halfback, creating an intriguing dynamic in the playmaking department.
The combination of Cherry-Evans and Walker is expected to be a focal point of the match. Rugby league aficionados will be keen to observe how these two talented playmakers gel and whether one emerges as the primary orchestrator of the Roosters’ attack. Cherry-Evans, a veteran of 352 NRL games, all for Manly, joins a Roosters squad brimming with representative stars. The team boasts formidable talent in the form of Mark Nawaqanitawase, Lindsay Collins, Angus Crichton, and former captain James Tedesco, making them a formidable force in the competition.
Last season, Cherry-Evans and Manly experienced a noticeable downturn in form following his announcement of departure from the club. Speculation surrounding his future appeared to impact his performances, and he was notably dropped from Billy Slater’s Queensland State of Origin side, with Cameron Munster taking over the captaincy. The 36-year-old will undoubtedly be eager to put the disappointments of the previous year behind him and recapture his best form in the Roosters’ red, white, and blue. The Roosters showed flashes of their potential last season, particularly when Walker returned from a long-term injury and guided them into the finals. Walker demonstrated a strong partnership with Hugo Savala, who is named in the reserves for Saturday night’s trial and will be pushing for an opportunity to reclaim a starting spot.
