Wrong name, wrong country: Roosters lodge complaint with NRL over Leniu judiciary gaffes

The NRL has received a formal complaint about its own judiciary counsel’s failure to identify Spencer Leniu by his correct name and nationality.

Just days after Leniu was handed an eight-week ban for aiming a racial slur at Brisbane’s Ezra Mam at one of the highest-profile NRL hearings in years, the Roosters have expressed their disappointment with the opening address of Lachlan Gyles SC, who referred to the forward as “Spencer Luai” and said he played for Tonga rather than Samoa.

Gyles’ gaffes were quickly corrected by NRL judiciary chairman Geoff Bellew SC.

But according to sources familiar with the matter who requested anonymity so they could speak freely about the matter, concerns about Gyles’ mistake – particularly given the sensitive nature of the hearing – have been conveyed to the NRL.

Leniu has played seven matches for Samoa and was a teammate of Jarome Luai at Penrith during their three straight title triumphs from 2021-23.

Gyles’ mistake was immediately picked up by attendees at the hearing and Leniu’s club felt compelled to raise the matter with the NRL at the end of a painful week for the code. Gyles has privately apologised for the mistake.

Sydney Roosters forward Spencer Leniu at Monday night’s hearing.Credit: Wolter Peeters/SMH

Leniu, 23, was suspended for eight matches for calling Mam a “monkey” on the field during the Roosters-Broncos clash at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Leniu told the hearing he was unaware at the time the term was offensive to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and has said sorry for the distress he has caused Mam and his family.

He offered to fly to Brisbane before the judiciary hearing to apologise to Mam in person.

The Broncos superstar, who scored three tries in last year’s grand final defeat, refused the offer, upset about a confrontation between teammates Pat Carrigan and Kotoni Staggs and Leniu hours after the match in the corridor of the same Las Vegas hotel they were sharing.

Mam returned the field for the Broncos against South Sydney on Thursday night.

Roosters coach Trent Robinson launched a passionate defence of Leniu on Wednesday, claiming his recruit was not a racist.

Leniu told the judiciary he thought it was “one brown man saying something to another brown man”, and had not heard of AFL legend Adam Goodes or the “monkeygate” affair involving Australian cricketer Andrew Symonds and the Indian cricket team.

“To call Spencer a racist is so far from the truth; it’s so far from the truth,” Robinson said on Wednesday. “But is that language right? You can never use that [language], but is that happening on a daily basis? It is.

“If we understand the definition of racism, it’s when you use power or use your power to put someone down a class and degrade that person.

“If you think that an immigrant – parents from Samoa and then obviously New Zealand – and [growing up] in Mount Druitt, and he’s trying to put someone down through power, then we’re way off the mark.”

Leniu won’t return to the field until round 10 against the Warriors in May. The Roosters play the Broncos in Brisbane the week before.

The NRL and Gyles’ chambers were approached for comment.

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