Defence lawyer Scott Mackenzie told Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday that the 32-year-old, who did not appear in court, would plead guilty to one charge of supplying cocaine.

Two other counts of supplying cocaine and one count of supplying a trafficable quantity of a prohibited drug were withdrawn.

Magistrate David Price said Mullen would have to be in court in person to formally plead guilty to the charge and adjourned the case to December 4.

Mullen's bail was continued.

Mullen, a former Newcastle Knights star who played one State of Origin at halfback for NSW, had initially been accused of supplying cocaine on four separate occasions at Cameron Park near West Wallsend in November 2018.

He was arrested at Tarrawanna, near Wollongong, on May 29 by detectives investigating an alleged drug syndicate operating across Newcastle and Lake Macquarie.

Mullen, serving a four-year ban from rugby league after testing positive for steroids in 2017, is the eighth person to be charged over the alleged cocaine ring.

Australian Associated Press