Roosters prop Spencer Leniu charged by NRL for alleged racial abuse of Broncos’ Ezra Mam
Roosters prop Spencer Leniu has been charged by the NRL for alleged racial abuse of Broncos rival Ezra Mam. Read all the details.
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Roosters prop Spencer Leniu has been charged by the NRL for alleged racial abuse of Broncos rival Ezra Mam as a firestorm broke out between the two heavyweight clubs.
This masthead can reveal the NRL’s match review committee has levelled a contrary conduct charge against Leniu, who has been accused of calling Mam a “monkey” in a bitter fallout to the NRL season opener in Las Vegas on Sunday.
The NRL opted against a grading, meaning Leniu will have to face the music at a judicial hearing where the Broncos will double down on Mam’s assertion that he was the victim of a racial slur.
“The player involved has been charged, he’s been referred directly to the judiciary so I can’t say any more about that because I need to respect that process. That has all been confirmed,” NRL CEO Andrew Abdo said.
“The actual date of the hearing is to be confirmed, we’ll make announcements about that later in the week.”
Abdo was also asked if the NRL had audio of the incident, and said he had reached out to the Broncos.
“I can’t comment on the specifics of what occurred last night because it’s a live matter and it needs to follow natural justice and there needs to be an appropriate hearing and an independent panel will look at whatever evidence is available and make a determination and we’ll respect that.
“I’ve been checking in with the club and spoken to the club ceo and we’ll check in and support the players, there’s obviously a lot of emotion involved and we’ll make sure they have the support they need.”
The development comes amid revelations a Roosters teammate secretly apologised to Broncos five-eighth Ezra Mam as bad blood broke out between the two glamour clubs in the wake of the Spencer Leniu racism scandal.
This masthead can reveal one of Leniu’s teammates has reached out to Mam, who claims he was called a “monkey” by the new Roosters recruit in the 69th minute of Brisbane’s 20-10 loss in Las Vegas.
It can also be revealed two Broncos players have doubled down, telling Brisbane bosses they heard the racial slur and are prepared to testify against Leniu if the Roosters prop is referred to the NRL judiciary.
In an explosive postscript to the Mam-Leniu saga:
* Broncos coach Kevin Walters has taken aim at Leniu after consoling Mam, who was reduced to tears after the alleged racial slur;
* Mam’s Indigenous teammate Kotoni Staggs fired a shot at Leniu on social media amid reports the centre and Broncos players clashed in the foyer of the two teams’ hotel in Las Vegas;
* Former Bronco and Wallabies great Lote Tuqiri has launched a verbal attack on Roosters coach Trent Robinson;
* ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys vowed to stamp out racism in the sport; and
* Souths superstar and Indigenous icon Latrell Mitchell appealed for the NRL to “deal with this shit”.
While Robinson is keeping an open mind amid the NRL’s probe into Leniu, one Roosters star has already taken a strong stance on racism by saying sorry to Mam.
It is understood Mam accepted the apology, although he remains deeply upset by Leniu’s alleged slur.
Mitchell’s Souths teammate Cody Walker also weighed in on the NRL racism scandal, but few are as furious over the affair as Mam’s teammates.
Staggs, who is alleged to have had a verbal altercation with Leniu in the early hours of Sunday morning (local time), took aim at the Roosters firebrand on Instagram after Leniu described his run-in with Mam as “fun and games” in an interview on Sydney radio station Triple M.
Brisbane and Roosters players were staying on the same floor at Resorts World in Las Vegas and their team rooms were only metres apart. It is understood that they crossed paths early on Sunday morning (local time) and words were exchanged.
Staggs was reportedly one of the players who was upset with Leniu.
While the altercation was only verbal it was another indication of the anger in the Broncos camp over allegations that Leniu called Mam a “monkey” in the dying stages of the round 1 blockbuster in Las Vegas.
The NRL has been made aware of the incident. Leniu is expected to be referred straight to the judiciary by the match review committee.
The Broncos would welcome a formal NRL judiciary hearing. Two Brisbane players have told Walters they were in the vicinity of the Mam-Leniu incident and clearly heard the Roosters prop call the Broncos young gun a “monkey”.
It is understood Mam also told Walters in the sheds he was called a “monkey” by Leniu, who was making his debut for the Roosters after his off-season move from premiers Penrith.
The Broncos are prepared to verify Mam’s version of events if called to attend a judicial hearing.
V’landys is concerned by the Mam-Leniu saga which marred rugby league’s historic weekend on American soil and vowed to protect the game’s image — and the welfare of NRL players — at all times.
“We certainly will not tolerate any form of racism ... full stop,” V’landys said in the wake of the Mam-Leniu furore.
“At the same time, the player has to be given due process and natural justice so it would be inappropriate for me to comment any further.
“But we take these matters seriously.”
Tuqiri blasted Robinson for suggesting Mam may not have been racially abused.
“I don’t get how Trent Robinson sits in a post-match press conference and accuses Ezra of not being right,” Tuqiri said in a social-media post.
“I’m behind Ezra all the way calling this stuff out.”
Mitchell is one of the code’s leading Indigenous role models and is furious at the treatment of Mam, who has Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage.
Mitchell was last year embroiled in a storm after being called a “black dog” by a teenage fan and at the time the Rabbitohs ace vowed to never be silenced in his fight to stamp out racism.
Mitchell, who played two hours earlier in Souths’ loss to Manly, hit out on social media. He posted a picture of Mam in Indigenous tribal garb with the words: “I stand with you ‘Bala’ (brother) ... (The NRL) better deal with this shit.”
Mam’s scrumbase partner, Broncos skipper Adam Reynolds, admitted he was left shocked by the incident, which saw the Broncos five-eighth lodge a formal complaint on the field with referee Adam Gee.
“It’s certainly never nice to hear any sort of racism slurs or anything,” Reynolds said.
“Not in this day and age would you think it’s still out there.
“It’s a real shock.
“I didn’t hear it on the field initially, I was well away from it, but we support our players.
“Ezra is pretty upset ... we don’t stand for racism.
“We will support Ezra and get around him.”
Walters played with a number of great First Nations players in his career, including Steve Renouf and Wendell Sailor, and was appalled by the incident.
“Yes certainly I am upset by it,” Walters said.
“As ‘Reyno’ said, we don’t accept that in our club, but again it’s not our doing, we support Ezra in every way and we respect the NRL and they will get to the bottom of it.
“It’s in the NRL’s hands now.”
Asked what happened in the incident with Mam, Leniu told Triple M straight after full-time: “Nothing. It’s all just fun and games on the field. That’s it.”
Pressed on whether he was concerned, Leniu said: “Not worried at all.”
Robinson said he couldn’t be certain Leniu racially abused Mam.
“If he (Mam) is adamant, that doesn’t mean it’s right,” he said.
“It will have to go through the formal process.”
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