Latrell Mitchell is done playing for 2024 as he prepares to face the board over his NRL breach notice

Latrell Mitchell can focus on explaining the actions that incurred a breach notice from the NRL after confirmation of the injured star’s playing future.

The picture that allegedly shows NRL star Latrell Mitchell with a white powder substance. Picture: Supplied

South Sydney caretaker coach Ben Hornby has confirmed troubled star Latrell Mitchell won’t return to the field this season and is doing “OK” as he prepares to front the club board in the wake of a being hit with a breach notice by the NRL alleging he has brought the game into disrepute.

As incoming coach Wayne Bennett threw his support behind the star fullback, Hornby said Mitchell remained away from the club as he continued to deal with the fallout from a leaked picture that showed him leaning over a table with a white powder on it in a Dubbo hotel room.

Dolphins coach Bennett, who will rejoin the Bunnies in 2025, was in charge when Mitchell joined Souths and said he was yet to speak to the 27-year-old who would be “upset with himself” but left the matter up to South Sydney to sort through.

“He’s in good hands at South Sydney,” Bennett said on Friday.

“He’s a good person, I’ve got a lot of time for Latrell, but South Sydney will handle the matter and get it right.

“Worried is not the word I’d use. He’d be upset with himself. He’s got to get it sorted out and move forward.

“He’s football player, and it’s what he does on the field he should be remembered for, not what he does off the field, that shouldn’t be the headline.

“He’s a great player and I’m sure he’ll get it right.”

The picture that allegedly shows NRL star Latrell Mitchell with a white powder substance. Picture: Supplied

Hornby said he had been in text conversations with Mitchell who was “doing OK” ahead of a meeting with the board where his $1m-a-season contract is set to be discussed.

The fill-in coach said revelations of Mitchell’s behaviour and potential penalty from the NRL would be “disappointing” for South Sydney fans but was reticent to comment on what the future could hold.

“I’ve only been in text conversation with him, but he’s OK,” Hornby said on Friday.

“I think for the fans it’s disappointing, but for us, we’ve got to worry about what we can control.

“He’s missed two weeks of training because he was sick last week, so he won’t get back this year.”

The NRL hit Mitchell with the breach notice on Thursday after an investigation by the club and league integrity unit after the photo emerged.

Wayne Bennett and Latrell Mitchell in happier times in 2020. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty Images

The NRL alleges Mitchell breach the league’s code of conduct.

“The particulars of the breach notice are that Mitchell featured in imagery, which emerged publicly on 12 August 2024, which depicted him acting in a manner which has brought the game into disrepute,” the NRL said in a statement.

Mitchell had five business days to respond to the notice, with a penalty, which could be a suspension, fine or both, looming.