LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
As the 2025 Koori Knockout approaches, three star players from the South Sydney Rabbitohs have announced their decision to sit out the tournament. Cody Walker, Jack Wighton, and Latrell Mitchell will likely attend the event but will not participate on the field, as they have in previous years.
According to The Daily Telegraph, their absence from the Koori Knockout in Tamworth is primarily due to concerns about potential injuries that could hinder their pre-season preparations for the upcoming 2026 NRL season. This cautious approach follows a challenging year for the Rabbitohs, during which these players missed a number of matches, contributing to an injury-stricken season. The situation was severe enough that the Rabbitohs requested special permission from the NRL to field players who were not part of their first-grade squad.
The Koori Knockout is set to take place next weekend, from the 3rd to the 6th of October, and is considered one of the largest Indigenous sporting events globally. It will showcase past, present, and future stars from both NRL and NRLW. Last year, the event drew over 500,000 viewers and attracted more than 30,000 attendees, a figure the organizers hope to surpass in 2025.