“Why doesn’t everyone ring Ezra? Why does everything have to be done on social media?” Fittler said.

“The NRL has rules where you can’t come out and make comments about situations that are going to judiciary. So they should be in trouble. If you want to support Ezra,ring him up. Go and see him. That’s how you support someone.”

The NRL has not made any official approach to players or their clubs that have commented on the Leniu saga,and no sanctions for doing so are planned.

Section 31 of the NRL’s code of conduct states that “no club or person bound by this code shall comment adversely on,or with respect to… any matter which has been,is,or is likely to be,the subject of a proceeding before the ARLC,the NRL Judiciary,the Match Review Committee.”

Former Titans skipper Kevin Proctor and then-Sharks playmaker Shaun Johnson were issued formal warnings by the NRL in late 2020for a series of interviews and social media posts ahead of Proctor being found guilty of biting his New Zealand Test teammate.

Mitchell has been celebrated throughout his career for speaking out on racism andengaged in a social media slanging match with Mundine on Friday after taking issue with the former boxer’s claim that Leniu’s remark to Mam was “not racism”.

Mundine returned by claiming that Mitchell has been “underperforming far too long” and should “earn the right to talk”.

Rabbitohs teammate Keaon Koloamatangi said Mitchell had already done so,speaking after training at South Sydney’s Maroubra base.

“[Mitchell] will say something if something doesn’t feel right and we all back him,” Koloamatangi said.

“Everything that he says,he doesn’t say something for no reason ... because he has that public figure and authority,people listen to him and he has an effect on people in the community.

“He’s a great role model for young kids,especially his people and Indigenous people and he’ll continue to be that leader going forward.”

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