South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett says it is a "terrible idea" to suggest Latrell Mitchell's salary should be tied to the number of games the injury-plagued Rabbitoh plays.
Fighting to return to the field in 2026, Mitchell resumed light running at training on Thursday amid a week of injury carnage at seventh-placed Souths.
Mitchell has not played since round nine and is battling nerve damage detected in his recovery from back and calf injuries.
The 29-year-old is consulting a neurologist and remains a week-by-week proposition.
Bennett says he "of course" holds out hope Mitchell will return to boost Souths' finals push.
"He does too, he wants to play. It's not that he's trying to avoid playing. It's something we've got no control over," the Souths coach said.
"We've got good people around him, experts in their field. We've just got to wait and see."
Injuries have meant Mitchell has not played more than 20 games in any season since joining the Rabbitohs from the Sydney Roosters in 2020.
He has played fewer games in seven years with the Rabbitohs (95) than he did across four seasons at the Roosters (96).
Bennett said Mitchell's injuries were just bad luck and the only way to avoid them would be to stop playing altogether.
"I've got to assume that (it's bad luck). It's not deliberate, I know that much," he said.
"I don't think (he could do anything differently). Maybe play a different sport, hey? Pickleball maybe."
Tom Trbojevic memorably approached Manly in 2024 with hopes of taking a pay-cut to his lucrative salary given his own extensive injury problems.
The NRL intervened to prevent such an arrangement.
Media reports this week suggested future contracts for Mitchell could tie his seven-figure salary to the numbers of games he manages to play.
Bennett said he would never impose such clauses on Mitchell, who is out of contract after 2027 so can negotiate with rival clubs from November.
"It's a terrible idea. I'm not interested in that," he said.
"It's just a bit of misfortune that players have problems. It's not because him or Tom don't do all the work and all the training or whatever.
"You've either got a contract or you haven't, you're not going to make one up for how many games you play or something like that.
"That's not going to happen. Not in the good clubs, anyway."
David Fifita's two-game ban brings rookie John Radel onto an edge for his third NRL game, and first start, against Melbourne on Friday night.
"He's had a couple of games and I've been pleased with what he's done so he'll start tomorrow night," Bennett said.
Fifita's failed judiciary bid continued a tough week for Souths, who have lost captain Cam Murray and in-form Tallis Duncan to short-term soft-tissue injuries.
Murray was initially ruled out for up to a month, but Bennett hopes he may only need "a week or two" to recover from a calf problem.
