Latrell Mitchell’s NRL return has again been pushed back in yet another crushing blow for the superstar centre and the Bunnies.

Mitchell was in career-best form to start the season, but hasn’t featured since Round 11.

He suffered a back injury in Round 9 and then re-aggravated it in Round 11 against the Dolphins.

The 29-year-old was then targeting a Round 17 return before a calf injury delayed his return further.

Along with a troublesome calf, the centre continues to deal with a bulging disc in his back that is causing nerve pain. And now, in yet another blow, his return has again been pushed back.

Mitchell was expected to line up for the Rabbitohs next Friday night against the Storm. But on Friday, Wayne Bennett revealed he is still two to three weeks off being ready for the rigours of first grade.

When asked when Mitchell would be back, Bennett bluntly replied, “two to three weeks”.

That would see him return either in Round 22 or Round 23, as long as there are no further complications with his recovery.

Yet not everyone is convinced he will return this year at all.

Last month, leading sports commentator Adam Peacock pointed to a similar player who dealt with a bulging disk, Jordan Thompson, and spoke on how he needed to have surgery to solve his sciatic nerve pain.

The sciatic nerve is the longest nerve in the body, which runs from the lower back down through the buttocks before it splits into two branches that go through both legs.

If a bulging disc impacts the sciatic nerve, it can cause pain not only in the back but also in the legs.

“It sounds like one of Latrell’s discs is just smashing into his sciatic nerve, which just causes havoc,” Peacock said on SEN.

“It causes all this referred pain – down to your foot sometimes – you ain’t playing rugby league with that.”

Even if surgery isn’t required, his delayed return is a crushing blow for the Bunnies, who desperately need their star man back as they push for finals footy in 2026.

Souths currently sit sixth on the ladder with 24 points.

However, the four teams below them all have a bye in hand, while the Rabbitohs have had all three byes.

Originally published as Wayne Bennett provides Latrell Mitchell update in huge blow to Rabbitohs’ NRL finals chances