“I’m keen to see Latrell kick into his stride this week. He brings a lot of energy and always brings a lot of confidence for us.”

Damien Cook, who was presented his 150th jumper by club legend Ron Coote on Thursday at Redfern, said Mitchell played the game tough, but was no thug.

“He was genuinely upset [that night] because of how good a mate he is with Joey,” Cook said.

“He did not mean to hurt him. That is one thing I know about Latrell. Does he play physical and aggressive? Yes, he does, a lot of people do. But he was never intending to do the damage he did. He understood Joey was a danger player and he had to take him down, but not like that.

“It was one of the most emotional and intense rivalry games I have had with the Roosters. It was a real tense physical game.”

Mitchell approached Roosters enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves after the game to check on Manu, only for the pair – former premiership-winning teammates at Bondi – to exchange some spicy verbal barbs.

The fullback is tipped to keep his cool and if anything lift for the giant occasion.

Souths coach Jason Demetriou, who is still chasing his first win in the NRL, said on Thursday: “Latrell is going to go after it. That’s what he loves. The bigger the game the better he’ll play and I’m excited to see what he does tomorrow night.”

League legend Coote, who enjoyed success at the Roosters and Souths, would not comment on the Manu tackle, but said of the Bunnies’ No. 1: “Latrell is a great player, a sensational player, he’s aggressive, a bit too aggressive [at times], but apart from that he does everything right.”

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Apart from Mitchell and Manu, Jai Arrow will likely be targeted by the Roosters pack because of his tackle on James Tedesco during Origin III, while Cody Walker and Luke Keary have exchanged pleasantries in the past.

The all-Tongan backrowers battle between Sitili Tupouniua and Keaon Koloamatangi on the same edge will also be dynamite on a night when hosts Souths raise funds for the Australian Red Cross Tonga Recovery Appeal.