BLUES WAIT FOR BENNETT MAGIC
NSW coach Brad Fittler is biding his time before deciding just where key piece Latrell Mitchell fits into his State of Origin jigsaw.
And Fittler says Queensland’s legendary excoach Wayne Bennett will unwittingly help NSW’s origin title defence.
Bennett will oversee Mitchell’s transition to fullback at South Sydney, after the 22-year-old played centre at his former club Sydney Roosters and for the Blues.
“That will be interesting how that goes,” Fittler said yesterday. “A lot has got to happen for Latrell. His fitness is going to play a big part, it’s a very different position to one he played at the Roosters.
“Wayne Bennett is a pretty good coach, he (Mitchell) will have assistance from one of the great Queenslanders so I look forward to seeing Wayne’s input. The key is going to be (Mitchell) is going to cover more than twice as much distance as he was playing centre so he is going to have to work hard.”
Fittler, spoilt for fullback choices at the Blues with incumbent James Tedesco and Tom Trbojevic, was noncommittal on deploying Mitchell elsewhere in the backline.
“It’s 120 days until the game (one) so it gives me about 110 days to pick a team,” he said.
“So I think I will take my time on that one.” Fittler gathered his potential Origin squad in Sydney last weekend, noting the impact of consecutive series triumphs over Queensland.
“When you win, the players just seem to come together a lot easier,” he said.