Top lawyer explains why the NRL will NOT be able to punish Latrell Mitchell over white powder photo - unless one very unlikely thing happens

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A leading lawyer has explained why the NRL is unlikely to sanction Latrell Mitchell over a photo appearing to show him with an unidentified white powder - unless the Rabbitohs star admits to any alleged wrongdoing.

The development comes after Mitchell, 27, was interviewed over the phone in relation to the image on Tuesday by the NRL Integrity Unit.

Top Sydney-based lawyer Paul McGirr doesn't believe Mitchell will be fined or suspended after he was photographed leaning over a table in a Dubbo hotel next to what appears to be an unknown white substance.

Daily Mail Australia does not suggest it is an illicit drug. 

'Unless either Latrell Mitchell, or whoever was allegedly in that room, attest to what Latrell is actually doing, and when, then I would submit on face value, legally, that the case would more than likely collapse,' McGirr told News Corp.

'It's mere speculation on a person who is seen bending down over a table. The NRL only has to prove matters on the balance of probabilities but without any admissions, the case would struggle.

'Without assuming anything, there is nothing on the still shot that indicates what he is doing without running away with our minds. Without any confirmation or denial, it's pure speculation.'

Meanwhile, former NSW Blues halfback Mitchell Pearce has leapt to Mitchell's defence in the wake of the scandal.

A leading lawyer has explained why the NRL is unlikely to sanction Latrell Mitchell over a photo that appears to show him with an unidentified white powder on a table (pictured) - unless the Rabbitohs star admits to any alleged wrongdoing

The development comes after Mitchell, 27, was interviewed in relation to the image on Tuesday over the phone by the NRL Integrity Unit - he is also yet to comment on the matter

Pearce and fellow ex-footy bad boy Todd Carney spoke on the Half-Time podcast, with Pearce insisting Mitchell is not the main culprit for the scandal.

Pearce has endured his own experience of footage of himself shared on social media without his permission. In 2016, he was banned for eight matches after a leaked video showed him simulating a vile act with a dog.

'I hope someone comes down hard on the person who's filming these things,' Pearce said.

'It would be good to know what the laws are around this because it's bulls**t. You'd hope it's not his mate, but whoever was in there and doing that stuff needs big repercussions.

'The game needs to find out who these people are and go hard on them. They should name and shame them because these people get away with murder and there's no repercussions.

'Poor Latrell will put his hand up and say he's done the wrong thing, but the other person who filmed it needs to be named and shamed.

'It's a horrible feeling right now to be Latrell and to have this stuff surface.

'I feel for him, but at the same time, if he's done this, then he's put himself in an average position, hasn't he?

Reformed bad boy Mitchell Pearce (pictured with his former fiancee Kristin Scott) has urged the NRL to 'come down hard' on the person who filmed the controversial video

'It's not good for the game and it's not good for Latrell. No one knows what that white substance was, so it's hard to comment on that, but it's not good for the game and it's not good for Souths with the year that they've had.'

Carney added that he hopes Mitchell has the right people around him to navigate this testing period in his life.

'It's sad to see the privacy broken again for a sports player,' the former five-eighth said.

'For Latrell, it's obviously going to have massive ramifications on him. He's one of the biggest stars of our game.

'My worry is now for Latrell and how he handles it, what he does....if he comes out and owns it or shies away from it. That's the concern for a player because we're all human and we make mistakes.

'Hopefully, Latrell has enough support around him because they [media] won't leave him alone until they get a story. I'm going to stick up for Latrell, and hopefully he's all right.'