It's hard to improve on perfection, but Cronulla captain Paul Gallen believes scintillating Sydney Roosters centre Latrell Mitchell can get even better in the NRL.
Gallen joined Mitchell's long list of admirers after the Roosters commando put on a show in a 42-12 thumping of Wests Tigers on Saturday night, scoring three tries and setting up another two to personally rack up 26 points.
It was enough to earn a perfect "10 out of 10" rating from Roosters coach Trent Robinson who like most could only look on in awe.
But Gallen believed there was one glaring area Mitchell had to improve if the NSW flyer wanted to finally live up to comparisons with recently retired great Greg Inglis.
"I think he can get better," Gallen told Nine Network.
"Compare him to GI (Inglis). Throughout his career Greg played really tough at the back end of the field and when his team needed a big run to get them out of trouble he would come up with that run.
"Latrell hasn't done that yet.
"When the tough games come about they are going to need him at the back end of the field to come up with a big special run coming out of trouble - that's the part of his game that he has to get better at."
Still, Gallen admitted it was "scary" how good Mitchell could become after again drawing inevitable comparisons with Inglis.
"Greg started his career really skinny and by the end of it he was 110kg, but Latrell is already a big body," Gallen said.
"That is a big advantage for Latrell, his natural size.
"It is scary how big and strong he could actually be."
Mitchell - off contract at the end of 2020 - ignored speculation linking him to rivals South Sydney and Parramatta with the stellar display which included two line breaks and five tackle busts.
"He touched the ball seven times and with that he had three tries, two try assists and just a few hit ups - it was just a freakish effort," Gallen said.
But it was Mitchell's defensive effort - including two try-saving tackles - that most impressed NSW coach Brad Fittler.
"Those things (in attack) are what he does easily," Fittler said.
"But afterwards he said 'I really like to go back and help my team with defence' and there was a great chase on Mahe Fonua - that's what I liked."
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