NRL superstars Mitchell and Wighton face court hearing

NRL South Sydney superstar Latrell Mitchell and distant cousin Jack Wighton will face court to contest charges over an alleged off-season brawl.

Mitchell and Wighton have both pleaded not guilty to a series of charges stemming from an altercation outside a Canberra nightclub on February, and return to the ACT Magistrates Court for a three-day hearing.

The pair were out celebrating Wighton's 30th birthday when the incident occurred, although the duo have previously described it as a "harmless wrestle".

Jack Wighton is facing charges over an incident that happened while celebrating his 30th birthday.

Wighton, who since the incident has left Canberra to join Mitchell at the Rabbitohs, is charged with fighting in a public place and failing to comply with an exclusion direction.

Mitchell, 25, is charged with resisting a territory public official, fighting in a public place and failing to comply with an exclusion direction.

Video footage of the arrest shows four police officers on top of Mitchell when arresting him while the fullback yells "my shoulders, my shoulders".

Lawyers for the duo wouldn't comment when asked on what grounds they'd defend the charges at a court hearing earlier this year, Mitchell's lawyer Tom Taylor simply saying "every story has two sides".

Neither have yet faced a sanction from the NRL's integrity unit, with the department indicating they'll wait until the criminal proceedings have wrapped up.

Wighton is already facing a late start to next NRL season, having copped a three-game ban for biting Newcastle's Tyson Gamble in Canberra's elimination final loss.

The duo, who are distant cousins and close friends, have previously played together for both NSW and Australia, but will be club teammates for the first time next year.

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