Latrell Mitchell doesn’t like getting compared to Greg Inglis, but their career paths are making it harder and harder not to link the pair.

Mitchell has not only followed Inglis to the Rabbitohs with his first career move, but he has also switched to fullback mirroring the positional switch of the South Sydney legend.

A closer look at the Fox Sports Lab statistics shows that Mitchell has played 96 NRL games to date compared with Inglis’ 98 career games at fullback.

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Round 19

The disparities in the key statistical categories show just how much Mitchell will need to alter his game to make a success of the switch.

Mitchell has averaged 14.9 possessions a game playing mostly at centre in his career to date, while Inglis averaged 27.2 possessions in his career at fullback. That equates to nearly double the involvement.

The former Roosters star averaged 8.3 runs a game and 83 metres at centre. Compare that to Inglis’ 13.4 runs per game and 145 metre average and the workload increase that Mitchell can expect this season becomes apparent.

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The knock on Mitchell in his two pre-season games at fullback for the All Stars and the Rabbitohs is that he doesn’t look to have the fitness levels to deal with the extra workload at No.1.

However Matty Johns believes the demands of the fullback position will improve Mitchell’s fitness in no time.

Latrell Mitchell's career stats vs Greg Inglis' career stats at fullback. Source: FOX SPORTS

“I know Joey (Johns) came out and said he doesn’t believe he’s got the fitness, but the very nature of playing fullback, gets you rock-hard fit,” Johns told NRL 360.

“The man Latrell’s most compared to is GI (Greg Inglis), and if you look at GI, as the season went on, he got fitter and got better and better. I think it’ll be the same with Latrell.”

Mitchell’s career statistics compare favourably to Inglis’ fullback numbers in some key areas.

The 22-year-old has scored 65 tries and notched up 68 linebreaks to date when compared with Inglis’ 52 tries and 80 linebreaks at fullback.

Mitchell has also accrued 87 career offloads to Inglis’ 48 in the No.1 jersey.

However where Mitchell will need to make up some ground is the in the tackle busts, linebreak assist and try assist categories. The modern fullback is required to make plays and create opportunities for their teammates.

The dual Roosters premiership winner has 342 career tackle busts to Inglis’ 516 at fullback.

And Mitchell has just 32 linebreak assists, to Inglis’ 60 and 20 try assists to 57 from the 2014 South Sydney premiership winner in the No.1 jersey.

Former Rabbitohs fullback Greg Inglis talks with current No.1 Latrell Mitchell at Redfern Oval. Source: News Corp Australia

Clearly there is work to do for Mitchell, but the very nature of his new position and South Sydney’s tactical approach bodes well for their star recruit, according to Johns.

“I think that’s the best place for him at Souths, because they’re a momentum-based team,” Johns said.

“Back in the day, GI (Inglis) returns that ball and he bludgeons the line back on the kick chase, then they start to roll.

“All the good things stem off ‘Cookie’ (Damien Cook), but you need to bend the line back at the start of a set and that’s what Latrell can do. He’s big, he’s fast, he’s an explosive player and I think he’ll be a success.”

Latrell Mitchell will need to improve as a creator for his teammates at fullback. Source: Getty Images

Latrell might not like the comparisons, but if he can learn a thing or two from his current assistant coach then he may prove the doubters wrong sooner rather than later.

Johns believes the people who believe Inglis will fail at fullback are not comparing his game to the right man.

“A lot of people when they talk about fullback, they talk about Billy, but Latrell’s not going to be a Billy-type fullback,” Johns said.

“He’s not going to have his nose in every play, be on the inside, outside shoulders of the playmakers all the time.

“He’s like GI, he’ll provide explosive moments that can turn a game.”

If the comparisons to Inglis continue this season then South Sydney fans will be happy, even if Mitchell isn’t.