“We’ve already spoken about how we’ll be doing all the tough stuff and all the tackling and yardage carries,and the left side will be attacking all day.

“Latrell has an aura about him,he’s such a good person to have in your footy side. I’m so excited to see the big fella back.

“I know ‘Tassy’[Tass] will be licking his lips playing outside Latrell. I also know Euan Aitken will be having nightmares tonight after training against him out there.”

Had Johnston not suffered a rib injury in the act of scoring a try during his comeback game last Thursday,Gray risked being dropped to the bench as a utility to accommodate Mitchell.

Gray,21,has been a revelation at fullback,and what he lacks in size,and the ability to blow a game open like Mitchell,he has made up for with effort and reliability in defence.

What makes his rise at the back more remarkable is that Gray grew up playing as a five-eighth,only turning to fullback when thrown into the position during a scrimmage at training at the start of last year.

“Jye has been our best player this year,and continued to turn up with a lot of energy and enjoyment around the place – we’re lucky we have such a young kid who does such an unreal job,” Arrow said.

Wighton has spent time at right centre on the Origin arena,and playing for Australia,and said the immediate hurdle was getting his footwork right switching from the left.

As for the return of good mate Mitchell,and the fullback reward for Gray,Wighton said:“We just want to see Latrell get in the game,do his job and have fun. We’re not asking for anything special.

“And Jye is a little champion,he’s someone we love playing with,he’s inspirational and does all the hard stuff. That’s all we can ask of him.”

Souths are chasing a fourth win in five matches while the Roosters try to avoid a fourth defeat in as many games.

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