South Sydney superstar Latrell Mitchell has suggested he can now "retire happy" after adding a World Cup Final win to his list of career achievements.
The Taree Titan crossed the chalk twice during Australia's 30-10 victory over the Cinderella Samoans, leading the Kangaroos to a 12th title and their place back atop the game's global summit.
Adding to his brace, Mitchell busted seven Toa Samoa tackles, broke the line twice and fell just seven metres shy of clocking a ton by foot.
Lost for words initially amongst the celebrations within Manchester's 'Theatre of Dreams', Latrell stated that the name had proven prophetic, claiming visualisation - as well as a warning from his old man - had played a key role in getting the Roos across the line.
โTo be honest I actually dreamt about this last night, it sort of woke me up out of my sleep," Mitchell told reporters at Old Trafford.
โI suppose if you didn't have dreams you wouldn't be able to achieve it. I followed mine and the boys set out to do something six or seven weeks ago to bring the trophy home. It's surreal.
โI'm just a country boy from Taree I suppose.
โMy dad always gave me a kick up the a**e at the age of 15 to be able to move out of Taree and achieve something, to be someone. I think I've been able to do that."
Mitchell also mused about his own children, professing that his family unit had grown since the tournament kicked off in mid-October.
โSix or seven weeks now I've left my two kids, I just want to get back to the farm and see them. It's all worth it now, I get to hold a trophy, I get to hold a medal, I get to have that jersey hanging up on my wall and look at it 15 years down the track and be really proud of the bunch of blokes I got to call brothers," the jet fullback added.
โFor myself, I could retire happy.โ
Bunnies fans are sure to hold hopes that Mitchell and skipper Cameron Murray will be feeling this content come next November - a feeling that will only arise if those in cardinal and myrtle can hoist a 22nd premiership in 2023.
Only then will this retirement chatter earn acknowledgement.
