Latrell Mitchell fined $20,000 by NRL, $100,000 by South Sydney over white powder photo in Dubbo

Latrell Mitchell’s white-powder saga could cost him as much as $120,000 in fines after the NRL and South Sydney finalised their sanctions for the superstar fullback.

The NRL has also confirmed Mitchell will serve his one-match ban only when fully fit, finalising its investigation more than two weeks after a photo emerged on social media that depicted the 27-year-old leaning over a white powder.

Mitchell will pay $20,000 in NRL-imposed fines and $20,000 up-front to the Rabbitohs, with an additional suspended $80,000 fine to be triggered if he reoffends.

Souths wanted the ban to be served this year but as the NRL said Mitchell would only serve the ban “when fit” - most likely next year - Rabbitohs interim coach Ben Hornby said the star was still a chance to play in the final two rounds.

Mitchell will also be required to undertake training programs with the NRL’s wellbeing and education department, and adhere to a wellbeing program mandated by the Rabbitohs.

He admitted on Tuesday he had made “poor decisions” while sidelined with a season-ending foot injury, having fronted the Rabbitohs’ board to explain himself earlier that day.

Rabbitohs chief executive Blake Solly has accepted the fullback is contrite.

“This has been a very challenging time for everyone at South Sydney, including staff and management, coaches, players, members, supporters and Latrell himself,” Solly said.

“Most importantly, it has been very difficult for his family. This is not lost on Latrell.

“He has shown great remorse and given us a solid commitment to improve himself, make better decisions, and to work towards becoming the best dad he can be to his children, the best partner he can be to Brielle, and the player he can be for the Rabbitohs.

“He has taken full responsibility for his decisions and his actions.

“I, along with the board and management, are confident that this will be a turning point for Latrell and that he will make better decisions in the future. We are committed to helping him do that.”

AAP understands it will fall to the Rabbitohs’ medical staff to determine when Mitchell, who has not played since round 18, is available to serve his ban.

The timing of the one-match suspension mandated by the NRL’s breach notice has been a sticking point in recent days.

The Rugby League Players Association had pushed for Mitchell to serve his ban immediately, despite Hornby already confirming the fullback’s season had been ended by his foot injury.

Less than two hours before the NRL finalised its investigation, Hornby back-tracked on that claim.

The interim coach claimed Mitchell could actually be available for the final round of the season, and therefore would be able to serve his ban in round 27.

The fullback took on light training duties at Heffron Park on Thursday as the Rabbitohs finalised preparations for Friday’s clash with reigning premiers Penrith.

“He’s just trying to tick the boxes. There is an outside chance he could play next week if we needed,” Hornby said.

“He needs to show that he’s in good enough condition to play a game.”

On Tuesday the superstar fullback had initially been tight-lipped facing a media scrum at the Rabbitohs’ Heffron Park headquarters following a meeting called by club powerbrokers.

But later that afternoon, Mitchell took to Instagram with his first formal comments on the leaked image that depicted him leaning over a white powder during a recent community visit to Dubbo.

“Sometimes in life you make poor decisions and I have accepted that as a man/family man/club man I want to do better,” Mitchell wrote.

“I can take this time now to move forward, look ahead and continue on being the best version of myself.

“Love to all that has supported my through this. Very grateful.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Mitchell told reporters he had a “good yarn” with the Souths board but was at a loss to explain the incident when pressed.

“To be honest I don’t really know. We will just leave it there,” he said walking to his car.

“No comment. I think we’ll leave it with the board and go from there.

“I just had a good yarn to them and we’ll leave it with them and get home to my family now.”

Mitchell raised eyebrows with a profane radio interview in March and missed three games for raising his elbow into Shaun Johnson’s face while coach Jason Demetriou’s job was on the line the next month.

He surged back to form to star for NSW in the second State of Origin match, only to suffer a foot injury in the round-18 win over Parramatta that interim coach Ben Hornby has said will end his season.

The 15th-placed Bunnies are on track for their first bottom-four finish since 2008.