- Latrell Mitchell made a series of ‘personal appearances’ in Dubbo
- His visit led to the ‘white substance’ photo that rocked the NRL
- Mitchell was given a warning by the league on Thursday
Latrell Mitchell enjoyed a very successful visit to Dubbo last weekend.
But his trip to the remote town in the central west of New South Wales will only be remembered for the photo that sent the football world into a frenzy this week.
The NRL Integrity Unit issued a warning to the Souths fullback on Thursday afternoon, giving Mitchell five days to respond after he was pictured leaning over a table with an unknown white substance.
According to reports, the photo was taken late last weekend in a hotel room in Dubbo, where Mitchell had made a number of ‘personal appearances’ with teammate Isaiah Tass.
On Saturday 10th August, the 27-year-old was hosting a club night at the local Pastoral Hotel in the city, promising to pose for photos with fans, chat to visitors and take to the stage to ‘whip the crowd up’.
The event took place in the pub’s clubroom, called The Vault.
But it wasn’t a weekend of partying for Mitchell. The Bunnies star and Tass made a special visit to Country Hope Dubbo, a charity that helps families in the region with children diagnosed with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.
The charity arranged a meeting with a young girl who idolises Mitchell as her ‘NRL hero’.
New details have emerged about Latrell Mitchell’s weekend in Dubbo (Mitchell and Isaiah Tass pictured with fans at a local football field)
Mitchell visited a charity, a local football club and hosted a pub night during the trip with South Sydney Rabbitohs teammate Isaiah Tass
The Bunnies duo also visited the dressing room following the Macquarie Raiders’ win at Apex Oval
The Bunnies duo attended an Indigenous round match at Apex Oval on Sunday, where they were mobbed by fans showing their support for the Macquarie Raiders.
After the final whistle, Mitchell and Tass celebrated the women’s team’s victory in the locker room.
Mitchell was also photographed signing caps for children on the field.
“I love the game, but when it comes to representing your own culture and the game lets you do that, that’s very special,” Mitchell told local newspaper the Daily Liberal.
‘A lot of people like it. It’s inclusive and everyone is involved.’
Yet Mitchell’s seemingly healthy journey was overshadowed by the emergence of an image that sent shockwaves through the Bunnies camp and the wider NRL community.
There is no indication that Tass was with Mitchell when the photo was taken.
There has been a huge controversy within the Dubbo community over the identity of the person who took and leaked the photo. Amy Brown, a local woman, has confessed to being the mysterious blonde who appeared next to Mitchell in the hotel room.
Brown has not been accused of any wrongdoing and said she was unaware the photo had been taken and denied sharing the image.
The poster advertising Latrell Mitchell’s club night at a local pub in Dubbo
But the visit will be remembered for the emergence of a photo of Mitchell leaning over a table containing an unknown white substance
The mystery blonde pictured with Latrell Mitchell in the white powder saga has been revealed as Amy Brown
I was shown [the photo] “At football on Sunday,” she wrote in a Facebook post.
‘I didn’t even know that photo existed until then.’
Mitchell was interviewed by the NRL on Tuesday but has not yet spoken publicly about the scandal.
“Latrell is doing well,” his adviser Matt Rose told 7NEWS.
‘Yeah, I mean, at the moment he’s not allowed to comment under NRL rules.’
Mitchell’s NSW Blues teammate Jarome Luai addressed the topic after training on Tuesday.
“I think it’s a very sensitive subject when you start talking about it,” Luai said.
“When I think about it, I want to make sure I’m doing the right thing and that I’m sending a positive message to my audience.
‘I wish him a lot of strength. I am sure he really regrets what happened.’