Taaffe’s No.1 in Bennett’s eyes

WAYNE Bennett has backed Blake Taaffe to handle the biggest test of his career with the Rabbitohs rookie clinching Latrell Mitchell’s No.1 jumper for the NRL finals showdown against the Panthers on Saturday night.

Bennett has opted against major surgery on his playmaking spine, with Cody Walker to return from a week’s rest at five-eighth as the super coach shows faith in Taaffe to fill the Mitchell void in the qualifying final at Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville.

Mitchell’s season-ending suspension has thrown up a selection headache for Bennett, who was considering shifting Walker from fiveeighth to fullback and slotting premiership playmaker Benji Marshall into the halves for the playoffs.

But Bennett is keeping faith in the 22-year-old Taaffe, who played soundly in South Sydney’s 20-16 defeat of the Dragons on Saturday when he replaced Mitchell in just his fifth top-grade game.

The quick-stepping rookie will be officially named by Bennett in the No.1 jumper on Tuesday and Souths skipper Adam Reynolds said Mitchell’s presence at training would help Taaffe prepare.