Latrell Mitchell and David Fifita came through their first and only pre-season test with flying colours on Sunday as Souths hammered Manly in Mudgee. And they’ll head into the new NRL season buoyed by the fact the Rabbitohs possess the most potent edge in premiership history, with no other edge combination coming close to their combined amount of tries.
Mitchell, star recruit Fifita and veteran Cody Walker combined superbly against a hapless Sea Eagles on Sunday, and the 30-6 win should fill coach Wayne Bennett with confidence. The Bunnies mentor rested the club’s record try-scorer Alex Johnston due to a “very minor” hamstring strain, but he is expected to be fit for the round one clash against the Dolphins on March 8.
Souths stars Latrell Mitchell (L) and David Fifita (R) are part of a left edge that will go into the new NRL season with more tries combined (480) that any other edge in the modern era. Pic: AAP
That would give Souths a first-choice left-edge quartet that has scored a record 480 tries between them. That figure is comfortably well ahead of the next-best edge combination of the modern era when the Roosters had 412 tries between their left sides stars in late 2023.
Johnston leads the way in the try-scoring stakes with 210 as he edges closer to the legendary Ken Irvine’s all-time record (212 tries). But Mitchell (120) and Walker (100) have both hit a century of tries in the NRL as well, and former Gold Coast wrecking ball Fifita has 50 to his name playing in the second row.
All four players have had their fair share of injury concerns in recent seasons, but if Bennett can keep them on the park in 2026, he has one of the most feared attacks in the NRL. Walker was particularly impressive against Manly on Sunday, with three line breaks and a try in a first half display brimming with confidence.
Rabbitohs’ left edge sizzle in pre-season thumping of Manly
The veteran playmaker only managed 11 games last season after a number of soft tissue injuries but looked in great touch and was full of confidence heading into the new season. “It’s the first time I’ve had a really good pre-season in about three years, so I am looking forward to the start of the season,” Walker said.
Cody Walker scored a try in an impressive pre-season game for Souths against Manly in Mudgee. Pic: AAP
Fifita took just three minutes to stamp his mark after a high-profile switch from the Titans, busting through Manly’s brittle defence. The former Origin second-rower only played eight games in an injury-ravaged 2025 but had 13 runs for 142 metres before being given an early breather in the second half.
They were promising signs that Fifita could be getting back to his destructive best, and his left-edge combination with Mitchell is going to be fascinating to watch in 2026. Mitchell scored a try off a grubber kick and looked solid in his shift back to centre, with new fullback Jye Gray as industrious as always in the No.1 jersey.
And Walker warned rival teams that Souths’ left-edge combination would only get better the more games they play together. “That’s going to continually grow,” Walker said. “We’ve got that many strike weapons over there so I’m going to have a ball this year.”
But in a worrying sign for the Rabbitohs’ rivals, the right edge combination of halfback Ashton Ward, Jack Wighton and Campbell Graham also looked solid and combined for a slick early try. Ward’s kicking game and organisational play were excellent and the 21-year-old playmaker gave Bennett another reminder that he’s ready to step into the No.7 jersey long-term in 2026.