Queensland’s Spencer Leniu payback pass granted by QRL boss, Payne Haas backs Roosters enforcer

An interesting subplot to the Spencer Leniu-Johnathan Thurston saga has emerged after Payne Haas, whose Broncos teammate Ezra Mam was racially abused by the Roosters prop, endorsed a post from the Roosters enforcer.

Superstar Broncos prop Payne Haas has thrown his support behind NSW teammate Spencer Leniu as the Blues enforcer was warned to brace for an Origin revenge attack from the Maroons.

The Leniu-Johnathan Thurston bust-up has taken another dramatic twist with Haas becoming embroiled in the saga after taking to social media to back his Blues colleague.

The development came as Queensland Rugby League boss Ben Ikin claimed Maroons stars would seek retribution on Leniu for verbally abusing their Origin demigod and assistant coach Thurston.

The dust has yet to fully settle on the saga - there is a view the code should take action against Leniu for calling Thurston a “f***wit” while the Origin great was working in an NRL arena for Channel 9.

The polarising issue took another turn on Tuesday when a defiant Leniu put up a fresh social-media post that was endorsed by Haas, whose Broncos teammate Ezra Mam was racially abused by the Roosters prop.

Leniu wrote: “Don’t let someone who’s never been in ur (sic) shoes tell u how to tie ur laces...”, prompting a torrent of likes, including one from Haas.

The Instagram post from Spencer Leniu that Payne Haas liked. Picture: Instagram

Haas played all three Origin games last season alongside Leniu and has clearly built a strong cultural bond with a prop he could join in the Samoan national fold later this year.

Watching on as QRL chief executive, Ikin has been enthralled by the Leniu-Thurston showdown and believes it will spill over into the Origin arena next month.

Thurston, a 37-game Origin icon, is an assistant to Maroons coach Billy Slater and Ikin believes Queensland players will be on a mission to make Leniu pay in the series opener at Suncorp Stadium on May 28.

“I hope our Queensland players do go after Spencer Leniu,” Ikin said when contacted by this masthead.

“JT is a very valued member of our Maroons set-up and there’s every chance Spencer Leniu gets picked for the other side (NSW).

“I go back to those first 24 hours and watched that (the Leniu-Thurston spat) unfold and all I could think of is I cannot wait for Origin.

“I have no doubt Spencer will be part of conversations - that’s just my assumption - but I know how much our Queensland guys revere the great JT.

“There’s one thing you can never accuse rugby league of being - uninteresting.

Payne Haas (L) and Spencer Leniu during their round 6 fixture. Picture: NRL Photos

“Because I can tell you - the Gorden Tallis of today is a guy called Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (Maroons prop).

“Johnathan Thurston is one of our Maroons legends, so when ‘JT’ gets into Maroons camp and all of those guys have seen what’s happened in that moment, after that game, what do you think they are talking about?

“To see him in a battle the way he was with Spencer, it’s going to be in the minds of a few of our guys.

“Bring on Origin.”

Leniu clearly feels like a player under siege. In another social-media post, Leniu wrote: “Shade coming from a tree bearing no fruit could never phase (sic) me. Carry on.”

And this: “Satisfy the soul, not the society.”

Ironically, it is Haas and Mam’s now Broncos coach, Michael Maguire, who handed Leniu his Origin debut last year.

The former Blues mentor believes the premiership-winning former Panthers hardman is one of the most misunderstood personalities in the NRL.

“I worked with Spencer in the NSW team and I love him, he was great,” Maguire said.

“Look, he has his own values and he is a fiery character.

“He stood his ground with ‘JT’ (Thurston) but it’s two grown men having a gripe and I’m sure they can sort it out.

“I like Spence. Yes he has that firebrand streak in him but he is a rugby league prop. It’s a tough game we play in. He and JT are two very competitive people, but hopefully they can move on.

“The world is continually adjusting. Crazy things have been said over the years but the game is always evolving.

“I have been fortunate to be around Spencer Leniu and Ezra Mam and I can honestly say they are both great humans.”

Ezra Mam and Payne Haas are close friends. Picture: NRL Imagery.

Asked if he enjoyed the Leniu-Thurston powder keg, Ikin said: “Absolutely.

“Seriously, that whole 24 hours was just compelling.

“I look at it and I think they were both in the right.

“JT had his views about what Spencer did in Las Vegas and he ultimately got sanctioned for it.

“Then Spencer decided he didn’t like what JT had said about him, so when given the opportunity, he told him what he thought of him.

“This is a brutal collision sport on and off the field and it doesn’t reconcile well with polite society.

“That’s what makes us (the rugby league industry) what we are.”

Originally published as Queensland’s Spencer Leniu payback pass granted by QRL boss, Payne Haas backs Roosters enforcer