Rabbitohs recruit Brandon Smith has taken the field as a South Sydney player for the first time on Thursday, with superstar Latrell Mitchell clearly pleased he’s arrived at the Heffron Centre.
“Finally brah, that’s it,” Mitchell said, as Smith embraced his new teammate in footage posted to social media.
Smith’s switch from the Roosters to the Rabbitohs was confirmed on Wednesday, putting an end to a drawn-out contract saga that took an emotional toll on the gun hooker.
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The 28-year-old has already signed a two-year deal ahead of the 2026 season, but has now joined his new teammates, and Mitchell, half a season early.
Smith has a reputation as a larrikin and a loveable personality, however he has also found himself in tough situations, like during his white powder scandal while at the Storm.
It was during that time that Smith found an unlikely ally in the Rabbitohs’ marquee man Mitchell.
“When I went through my darkest days in Melbourne and got in trouble, I didn’t really know Latrell at the time,” Smith said in a video on the Rabbitohs’ TikTok.
“He was one of the first people to message me, offered me his time, offered me a phone call, offered me a spot to come to his farm.
“I didn’t know him. Then there’s people I know who didn’t message me during those times that I thought would.
“Then you’ve got Latrell, who is a random that I barely know, and he messaged me. It speaks volume to the sort of person he is. Ever since then we have kept a close relationship.
“I am glad I’m part of that team with him.”
Smith won’t be able to run out on the field with Mitchell until he recovers from his ACL injury, which he suffered during Round 26 of the 2024 season.
The utility forward could be gunning for a return from Round 15 onwards, however coach Wayne Bennett made it clear his new signing won’t be rushed back.
“He’s had a major operation and rehab on his knee,” he said.
“I won’t be pushing him too hard this year, because I know the consequences of those knee injuries. He’s got to get his confidence back and that will take a little time.”
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Smith’s Rabbitohs switch as serves as a fresh start for the exiled Tricolours gun, who only found out about his immediate switch through news reports.
“Everything was a little bit harder because I just finished a wedding and then I found out about all the news the morning after the wedding,” he said on Triple M.
“It was very hard and my emotions were a little bit touchy at that time.
“(I was aware of) none of it really. The journos know more than I do about the whole situation. Obviously there’s conversations happening in the background I’m not aware of.
“But I didn’t want to go, that’s all I’m saying. I didn’t want to go, I told my manager I wanted to stick it out and I find out that morning they wanted me gone.
“I don’t have any problems with them wanting me to go, I understand it from a business point of view but it was a real shock real quickly.”
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