Latrell Mitchell breaks his long silence to talk about the Winmarra foundation
Latrell Mitchell co-founded the Winmarra Foundation. (Supplied: Sunny Brar/Winmarra Foundation)
Latrell Mitchell has a big football game coming up today.
The NRL superstar's team, the South Sydney Rabbitohs, will go up against his former team, the Sydney Roosters, to thrash it out in a bitter rivalry in a highly anticipated match.
But Mitchell didn't want to talk football when he met with ABC News ahead of the game on Thursday, jokingly saying he would have walked out of the interview if a football question had been asked spontaneously.
It's been a long time since Mitchell spoke to the media.
There have been entire editorial pieces written about how he refuses to engage with the fourth estate, and it's no wonder, given the media places him under intense scrutiny — quite often unfairly.
Mitchell broke his self-imposed silence because he wants the world to know about one thing — the Winmarra Foundation, which he co-founded in late 2024.
Attending the ABC's Sydney studios not long after a training session, Mitchell explained that the Winmarra Foundation fosters the next generation of Indigenous leaders through cultural connection, mentorship, and community engagement.
It does so through its Emerging Leaders Program, which is a 10-month initiative designed to guide both at-risk and high-achieving young people towards personal growth and skills development.
Mitchell has a soft place in his heart for Brewarrina. (Supplied: Sunny Brar/Winmarra Foundation)
Mitchell has a special connection to the word "Winmarra".
"Winmarra just is the surrounding area of Taree where I was born," Mitchell said.
"We have a big mountain range that follows us, surrounds us in the Manning Valley.
"Winmarra's the storyline of my people back in the day.
"It just represents me, my family and where I'm from."
While the program bears that name, Mitchell chose Brewarrina in North West NSW as the location to hold the foundation's pilot program.
"That community, Brewarrina, means a lot to me," Mitchell said.
"It's a place I found a long time ago, before Winmarra Foundation was even a thought.
"For me, giving back's everything and the Emerging Leaders Program is giving these kids an opportunity to believe in themselves as well."
Mitchell had no interest in discussing the sport that made him famous. (Supplied: Sunny Brar/Winmarra Foundation)
He's noticed growth in the children who've taken part.
"Seeing these kids go from not being able to say their name or too shame or too shy to … express[ing] who they are, know who their mob, what their dreams and their attributes [are], what they're good at … it makes my heart warm."
Mitchell has been quietly giving back, away from the cameras.
"I couldn't care less about cameras, to be honest," Mitchell said.
A program that works
Seventeen-year-old Darnell Heatherill has been ticking off a list of achievements, having obtained his driver's licence on the first go and coaching younger kids playing football.
Darnell Heatherill took part in Winmarra's Emerging Leaders Program with outstanding results. (Supplied: Sunny Brar/Winmarra Foundation)
He was part of the 10-month program at Winmarra.
Darnell has also achieved his dream of working for the Rural Fire Service (RFS), becoming Brewarrina's youngest RFS cadet.
"It's a wonderful feeling," Darnell told ABC News.
"Ever since a kid I wanted to be [in the] RFS and fire brigade."
The Winmarra Foundation places elders, parents and young people at the centre of decision-making. (Supplied: Sunny Brar/Winmarra Foundation)
Darnell says he has gained a sense of confidence he would not have had if he didn't participate in the program.
"It kind of shaped me in ways,"he said.
"Shaped me to obviously be a leader more and obviously build my resilience and everything, so it definitely has shaped me in many ways."
Darnell has always been a big fan of Mitchell.
"Everyone knows [Latrell] for being a star at footy, but they actually need to look at everything that he's doing for the community,"Darnell said.
"Some people don't see that. But he does give back, and he's always looking out for us, and it's the best thing ever."
It costs a whole lot more to do nothing
The work the Winmarra Foundation does is self-funded, with its founders now seeking philanthropic or government support.
Mitchell says the salary he earns playing footy isn't enough to fund the Winmarra Foundation long-term. (Supplied: Sunny Brar/Winmarra Foundation)
Winmarra's other co-founder, Sunny Brar, says apart from improving the lives of young people, the program also makes economic sense — reducing the likelihood of future involvement with the justice system and reliance on welfare and health services.
"You've got some great kids like Darnell, Kirk, Ashton, Jai-Kel — the boys that have completed the program — who will now go into the workforce, who will now go into the communities and make an impact," Brar told ABC News.
Brar says it's a lot cheaper to keep kids out of juvie than to house them in cells.
"The cost of inaction is really 20 million dollars,"he said.
Estimated Prevented Costs
Source: 2025 Winmarra Foundation Impact Report
| Category | Estimated Cost per Person | Potential Savings (30 Youth) | Key Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Youth Justice | $100,000–$1,000,000 | $3M+ | Justice Reform Initiative, NSW Parliament |
| Education Disengagement | $250,000–$300,000 | $7.5–$9M | Mitchell Institute |
| Mental Health | $10,000–$50,000 | $300k–$1.5M | Treasury, AIHW |
| Welfare & Unemployment | $200,000–$300,000 | $4–$6M | Mitchell Institute, AIHW |
Mitchell has a heart for these kids, taking time away from his young family, to ensure the kids in Brewarrina know they're valued.
"We got elders that are starting to pass," he said.
"These are going to be our next generation of leaders and elders.
"So, my thing is that if I can have an impact on them and have this after my footy, this for my kids to enjoy, for the vision to just go through every community and every community understand that it's their processes, their dream, their story, that's all I want the impact to be."