Latrell Siegwalt makes debut in jumper 23 for South Sydney

Latrell Siegwalt will make his NRL debut for South Sydney on Sunday, May 10, and the 25-year-old will do it in jumper 23 against the Sharks at Accor Stadium. He replaces Latrell Mitchell in the centres after Mitchell was ruled out with a back injury.

Siegwalt earns South Sydney call

The decision was made on Thursday after Siegwalt was not named in the initial squad. South Sydney will hand him his first top-level appearance in the centres, a direct switch that puts the local product into one of the side’s most watched spots for the round.

Siegwalt came through Southcity’s ranks in Wagga, played for Gundagai and was part of the Tigers’ unbeaten premiership in 2022. He later followed Nathan Rose to Kangaroos and represented Country before a standout performance at the 2023 Koori Knockout pushed his name further into view.

Jody Siegwalt's ticket scramble

His path also ran through the Dolphins in Queensland Cup and then the Brisbane Broncos feeder system before he joined South Sydney for the 2026 season. He had already been an unused replacement earlier in the season, so this debut turns a squad spot into a first crack at NRL level.

Jody Siegwalt said, "He's worked so hard to get to where he is now, he's had setbacks but he's really put that aside and worked really hard," and added, "There's a big group of his friends and family coming to watch as well,". After the announcement, "My phone's been off the hook just organising some tickets for people that are coming to watch" as 94 tickets were snapped up within hours.

Walgett Birthday and Debut Night

The family story stretches beyond the stadium. His great-great-grandmother Gladys was celebrating her 100th birthday in Walgett on Friday, two days before Siegwalt runs out for South Sydney. For the people around him, the debut is already a shared occasion; for South Sydney, it is a chance to see whether the 23 jersey now belongs to a player who has waited through several levels to get here.