Football legend and Channel Nine commentator Paul Gallen has revealed who he believes embattled NRL star Latrell Mitchell should take legal action against over his white powder photo.
Gallen believes The person responsible for distributing the photo of the South Sydney fullback in a compromised position from a Dubbo hotel room must be held to account.
“The person who took the photo… I think it’s illegal, there must be something illegal,” he told Wide World of Sports on Wednesday.
“If this ends badly for Latrell, I hope he tries to sue the person who took the photo. I’m not a cop or a lawyer, but I don’t think you should be able to do that.
“I would love for him to go after them and use them as an example if this ends badly for him.”
It comes as Mitchell, 27, has until Thursday to respond to a Breach Notice relating to an alleged breach of the NRL Code of Conduct, following an investigation by the NRL Integrity Unit into the matter.
If Mitchell admits the violation, the likely outcome is a one-game suspension and a fine of approximately $20,000 for bringing the sport into disrepute.
South Sydney will then impose its own sanctions, which are expected to be severe.
NRL legend Paul Gallen believes Latrell Mitchell should take legal action against the person responsible for taking and distributing a photo of him from a Dubbo hotel room
It comes as Mitchell, 27, has until Thursday to respond to a breach notice regarding an alleged breach of the NRL code of conduct, following an NRL Integrity Unit investigation into the matter.
Daily Mail Australia is not claiming that the unidentified powder in the photo is an illegal substance.
Gallen claimed Mitchell had “put himself in a position that he probably shouldn’t have been in”, adding that he sympathises with the Indigenous role model, who is often praised and then criticised by sections of the media.
“It’s just a vicious circle, this is what happens every time: he does something stupid or says something stupid, gets suspended, does something stupid and the whole world attacks him,” he told 2GB Radio.
‘Then he comes back, plays football the way we all know he can, becomes the best player in the game, does crazy things that other people can’t do, and then all of a sudden, what do we want to do? We want to interview him again.
“So we interview him again, the media gets involved, we start asking him questions about this and that and then Latrell says things like ‘I do what I want, I say what I want’… and then it starts all over again.”
Gallen also indicated that the Rabbitohs need to show better leadership when it comes to managing Mitchell.
“Everything you hear from South Sydney is that Latrell is fine. We’re just worried about the football… Well, that can’t happen when you’ve got someone who’s constantly attracting so much attention, whether it’s positive or negative,” he said.
“I don’t see South Sydney nipping it in the bud at all. I see him constantly behaving the way he wants to and it keeps going round in circles.
“I actually feel a little sorry for him. If they really do fine him $200,000 – which is what I’ve heard is the rumor – I would be as disgusted as I was Latrell, because I honestly believe the club should take some responsibility for the way he’s conducted himself.
Troubled NRL star Latrell Mitchell could be fined as much as $250,000 by the Rabbitohs after his photo of the white powder allegedly pushed the furious club over the edge. Daily Mail Australia does not suggest the powder was an illegal drug
Wayne Bennett will return as South Sydney coach in 2025 and has promised to take superstar Latrell Mitchell (pictured together in 2020) under his wing
Wayne Bennett has [next season] there will be help, no one has [previously] had the balls to stand up to Latrell and say, ‘No, you can’t do that.’
“And look where they are now.”
With many pundits believing the Bunnies were already Premier League heavyweights before they even had a ball in their team this season, the Bunnies will miss out on the NRL’s top eight again after coach Jason Demetriou was sacked in April.
Mitchell, who has played just 11 games for the Rabbitohs due to injury and suspension, has occasionally courted controversy.
He was banned for three games after elbowing Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson in the final minutes and then became embroiled in a spat with Anthony Mundine that dragged on for weeks following the Spencer Leniu and Ezra Mam racism saga.
When you factor in Mitchell’s abusive post-match interview with Triple M, followed by his public spat with NRL 360 presenter Braith Anasta at a Sydney restaurant, it’s understandable that the club’s management have had enough.
‘Trell Mit’ helped the NSW Blues win the Origin series with a convincing performance in the second match at the MCG. However, he was injured in an incident against the Eels which ruled him out for the rest of the season.