Wild footage of Thurston incident uncovered as spicy details drop
Raw footage of Johnathan Thurston’s confrontation with Spencer Leniu has emerged with the NRL legend breaking his silence.
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Johnathan Thurston has broken his silence and new footage has emerged as the NRL’s Friday night drama took yet another turn late on Saturday.
Raw vision of the heated exchange between Spencer Leniu and Thurston was shared on Fox League on Saturday night with the footage showing how fiery the Roosters enforcer became as he exchanged words with the NRL legend.
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Leniu and Thurston had two dramatic confrontations during the Roosters’ 26-16 win over the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium with the confrontations reportedly stemming from the racism scandal that involved the Roosters prop in last year’s season-opening Las Vegas weekend.
As first reported by Code Sports, Thurston was also involved in a third incident with Roosters coach Trent Robinson.
You can watch that encounter in the player above.
That was one of many developments to emerge on Saturday night, including:
— Thurston calling Leniu’s behaviour “overly aggressive”.
— Raw video showing Leniu had to be escorted away by teammate Siua Wong and the club’s media manager. Broncos star Ben Hunt was also seen trying to intervene.
— Thurston waited until well after the game to track Robinson down.
— Leniu also took a swipe at another Broncos player before snubbing Thurston’s interview request.
— The NRL is unlikely to take any action unless Thurston lodges an official complaint.
The situation exploded after Leniu is first reported to have called Thurston a “f***wit” after coming from the field in the 55th minute of play.
The North Queensland Cowboys grand final hero was commentating in his role with Channel 9.
Nine Newspapers reported the drama took another turn when Thurston is reported to have approached Leniu to ask the NSW State of Origin forward what the problem was. It has also been claimed Thurston only approached Leniu to ask for a post-game interview in front of the TV camera.
It was in that moment that Leniu is reported to have responded by calling the Queensland State of Origin legend a “f***ing c***”.
Thurston reportedly responded: “What’s your problem?”
Leniu then took another swipe at Thurston on social media following claims he abused the NRL legend during a spiteful clash with the Broncos on Friday night.
In a post on Instagram, Leniu denied approaching Thurston and launched a fresh attack at the Maroons great.
“I never wanted to talk to JT. He kept trying to come speak to me,” part of the Leniu’s caption said.
“Lad (I don’t care) that you hate me for what I did. But don’t come up to me asking me questions like we’re (all good).”
“Don’t be two face (sic). Hate me lad I’m ‘eetswa’ (sweet) with that. But don’t be fake. “I hate fake people.”
Thurston, meanwhile, issued a statement to the SMH on Saturday afternoon, which read: “Let me start by saying I was shocked by what unfolded Friday night.
“On a podcast 12 months ago, I made a comment on the penalty issued to Spencer Leniu by the NRL in regards to racial comments he had made.
“As a proud Indigenous man, I clearly do not endorse Spencer’s remark in Las Vegas last year. However, the comments I made were an opinion on the penalty he was given and it is an opinion I stand by.
“As Spencer left the field during last night’s match he made an abusive comment to me, which took me and those around me by surprise.
“The comment was not of a racial nature but was overly aggressive in tone and unwarranted.
“After the match, I approached Spencer on the field to seek clarity on what he said and why he had said it. Spencer was again overly aggressive, and it became clear that he had interpreted the comments I made 12 months ago as a personal attack on him which was not the case.
“A further conversation took place later with Roosters officials and Spencer outside the sheds. I remain available if Spencer or the Roosters would like to discuss this matter privately.”
Further details have emerged in a special Code Sports report explaining how the drama unfolded.
It has emerged Thurston was agitated and was desperate to speak to Robinson to get an explanation for Leniu’s behaviour. He reportedly refused to enter the Roosters’ sheds for post-match interviews, having been rattled by the incident.
Code reports Thurston bumped into Robinson inside the bowels of the stadium and was heard saying, “I never said that. I never said that” during his talks with the veteran coach.
According to rugby league journalist Michael Chammas, Leniu saw Robinson and Thurston speaking and then walked up, engaged in the conversation and swore at the Queensland State of Origin legend again.
Moments later, Robinson walked into his post-match press conference and defended Leniu’s actions.
Meanwhile, it has emerged Thurston was not the only person to cop a drive by from Leniu with Code reporting Broncos hooker Billy Walters was also snubbed by the NSW State of Origin prop.
According to Code, Leniu called Walters a “snitch” before walking on.
Walters had been at dummy half when Leniu used the slur “monkey” while barking at Broncos playmaker Ezra Mam during their Las Vegas clash last year.
Leniu was banned for eight matches as a result.
At that time Thurston took a public stand in condemning Leniu and suggested Leniu should have been rubbed out for 12 matches.
Friday night’s clash marked the first time the NSW representative had faced Brisbane since their 2024 Las Vegas match-up.
Robinson was asked about the altercation in the post-match press conference, launching a staunch defence of his player.
“There’s a discussion there, but from what I saw there wasn’t any crossing the line there,” Robinson said.
“I don’t know why, Spencer, he didn’t go and approach anybody. I don’t know why you’re trying to put it on Spence here... you guys are trying to put it on Spencer here.
“This is the way the questions are coming, you guys just have got to be careful the way that you guys are asking questions as well.
“I don’t think it’s on anyone, I think it is a discussion between two men. So cool your jets when it comes to accusations around somebody, the way you guys are questioning there you’ve already formed an opinion.
“Two guys having a conversation, it might get heated. But nothing wrong was said, as far as I know and it was about an incident and that’s okay for guys to have that conversation.”
Originally published as Wild footage of Thurston incident uncovered as spicy details drop
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