Former footballer and now Channel Nine commentator Paul Gallen has revealed who he thinks troubled NRL star Latrell Mitchell should take legal action against in relation to his white powder photo.
Gallen believes The person responsible for taking and distributing the image of the South Sydney defender in a compromising position from a hotel room in Dubbo should be held accountable.
“The person who took the photo… I think it’s illegal, there has to be something illegal there,” he told Wide World of Sports on Wednesday.
“If this goes wrong 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 he should be able to do that.
“I’d love to see him chase them down and set an example for them if things go wrong for him.”
Mitchell, 27, has until Thursday. to respond to an infringement notice in relation to an alleged breach of the NRL Code of Conduct following an investigation by the NRL Integrity Unit into the matter.
The likely outcome if Mitchell accepts the violation is a one-match ban and a fine of around $20,000 for bringing the game into disrepute.
South Sydney will then apply its own sanctions, which are expected to be tough.
NRL great 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
This comes as Mitchell, 27, has until Thursday to respond to an infringement notice in relation to an alleged breach of the NRL Code of Conduct following an investigation by the NRL Integrity Unit into the matter.
Daily Mail Australia is not suggesting the unidentified powder in the photo is an illicit substance.
Gallen alleged that Mitchell “put herself in a situation that she probably shouldn’t have been in” before adding that she feels sorry for the Indigenous role model, who is often praised and then criticised by certain sections of the media.
“It’s just a vicious circle, this is what happens every time: he does something stupid or says something stupid, he gets suspended, he does something stupid, everyone is on him,” he told 2GB Radio.
“Then he comes back, plays football like we all know he can play, becomes the best player in the game, does crazy things that other people can’t do, and 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 about this and that and then Latrell says things like ‘I’ll do whatever I want, I’ll say whatever I want’… and then it starts again.’
Gallen also claimed the Rabbitohs need to show better leadership when it comes to handling Mitchell.
“All you hear from South Sydney is that Latrell is fine, we’re just worried about playing football… well, you can’t be like that when you have someone who constantly causes so much attention, whether it’s positive or negative,” he said.
“I don’t think South Sydney are going to nip it in the bud. I see him constantly behaving however he wants and everything keeps going around in circles.
‘I actually feel a bit sorry for him. If he gets fined $200,000 (which is what I’ve heard), I’d be just as dirty if I were Latrell, because I sincerely believe the club has to take some responsibility for its behaviour.
Embattled NRL player Latrell Mitchell could reportedly be fined up to $250,000 by the Rabbitohs after his photo with white powder allegedly angered the club. Daily Mail Australia does not suggest the powder was an illicit drug
Wayne Bennett will return as South Sydney coach in 2025 and has vowed to take superstar Latrell Mitchell (pictured together in 2020) under his wing.
“Having Wayne Bennett there (next season) will help, nobody has done that (previously) He had the courage to stand up to Latrell and say, “No, you can’t do this.”
“And look where they are now.”
The Bunnies, Premier League heavyweights in the eyes of many pundits before the season started, will miss out on the NRL top eight again after coach Jason Demetriou was sacked in April.
Mitchell, who has only played 11 games for the Rabbitohs due to injury and suspension, has at times been a magnet for controversy.
He was suspended for three matches following a late-match elbow on Warriors scrum-half Shaun Johnson and then became involved in a war of words with Anthony Mundine that dragged on for weeks following the Spencer Leniu and Ezra Mam racism saga.
Add to that Mitchell’s expletive-filled interview with Triple M, followed by his public falling out with NRL 360 host Braith Anasta at a Sydney restaurant, and it’s understandable that club bosses have had enough.
‘Trell Mit’ helped the NSW Blues win the Origin series with a standout performance in the second game at the MCG, only to then be injured against the Eels in an incident that ruled him out for the rest of the season.
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