South Sydney are seeking legal advice over Latrell Mitchell as they renew their efforts to ensure the star player serves his suspension for the final round of the NRL season.

Mitchell faces a one-match ban after being photographed with white powder. The NRL said he will only be eligible to serve the ban if he is fit to play.

Rabbitohs fans have launched a push to have Friday’s clash with the Sydney Roosters declared as such, citing the advice of three doctors that Mitchell is fit.

On Wednesday, the NRL asked the club for more evidence of Mitchell’s fitness, including an independent fitness test.

Mitchell did not train with his teammates on Thursday, and the Rabbitohs players believe the 27-year-old should not undergo further tests on his foot.

If Mitchell is unable to serve his suspension this week, the problem will persist until the first round of next season, Wayne Bennett’s first game back as Souths manager.

“We have taken legal advice in relation to the NRL’s request for additional information and the proposed fitness test,” South Sydney CEO Blake Solly told AAP.

The drama came after the Rabbitohs sent a letter to the NRL on Wednesday asking Mitchell to be allowed to play on Friday night if he could not serve his suspension.

That would require a release from the NRL, given he was not included in the Rabbitohs’ 22-man squad on Tuesday.

It is known that the granting of an exemption is extremely unlikely.

Souths interim coach Ben Hornby said last month that Mitchell would not play again this year, citing injury and the Rabbitohs’ position in the league table.

However, when asked on Thursday whether Mitchell would be able to play Friday night if granted an exemption, Hornby replied: “Yes.”

“It’s out of our hands now. It’s the NRL and the club and they’ll sort it out.

“He would be (fit to play), but as I said a few weeks ago, the chances of that process being successful would be slim.

“It’s all in the hands of the NRL and the club now, so there’s not much to say (I might add).”

Mitchell has not played since injuring his foot against Penrith on July 4, which forced him to wear an orthopedic boot for almost a month.

By this time, South Sydney’s slim hopes of reaching the finals had been dashed and the club had fallen to 15th place in the table.

Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga has ruled out the possibility of Mitchell being fielded for Australia at the Pacific Championships, meaning the defender’s ban from playing there cannot be used.

In addition to the ban, the NRL fined Mitchell $20,000, while South Sydney fined him an additional $100,000, $80,000 of which was suspended.

The Mitchell situation comes at a time of strained relations between Souths and the NRL, with the conceding of a Solly goal by Andrew Abdo in the State of Origin series a key factor.

Abdo insisted this week the NRL was not trying to use a legal loophole to delay Mitchell’s ban until early 2025, arguing this ban was different to others because the defender suffered an injury before he allegedly brought the game into disrepute.