Lote Tuqiri accuses Roosters coach of ‘gaslighting’ amid racism storm

Cross-code footy great Lote Tuqiri has slammed Roosters coach Trent Robinson over his post-match comments in Vegas.

Cross-code footy great Lote Tuqiri has slammed Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson over his post-match comments over Ezra Mam’s racism accusation against Spencer Leniu on Sunday night.

The NRL’s first foray into Las Vegas almost got away without a scandal in Sin City until just over 10 minutes to go in the second game of the double-header, when Brisbane’s Mam put in a formal complaint against the Roosters’ Leniu.

In audio from the match, Mam was heard telling referee Adam Gee “he called me a monkey”.

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Post-match, neither coach said much about the accusations, with Broncos coach Kevin Walters saying he didn’t know if it was said but that Mam was “adamant” and the club would support its player.

Broncos captain Adam Reynolds said he didn’t hear it initially.

“We certainly don’t stand for racism and we’ll support Ezra and get around him and leave it in the NRL’s hands,” Reynolds said.

“It’s certainly never nice to hear any racism or slur, not in this day and age you’d think it’s still out there. It’s a bit of a shock.”

Roosters coach Trent Robinson had “no opinion” over the situation.

He added just because Mam believed he had heard a slur doesn’t mean it was what was said.

“So Ezra is adamant … that doesn’t mean it’s right. He obviously made the complaint but that doesn’t mean that it’s right, it will go through the formal process as it should,” Robinson said in the post-match press conference.

Trent Robinson has been called out over his comments. Photo: NRL

Tuqiri in his final season with the Rabbitohs. Picture Gregg Porteous

But the comments from Robinson don’t cut it for Tuqiri, a dual international who played for Queensland and Australia in rugby league, as well as 67 Tests for the Wallabies.

“If a player says he’s been racially vilified on a footy field, it’s happened!!,” Tuqiri tweeted.

“You can mask it and say it’s in the heat of the battle, etc etc. But I don’t get how Trent Robinson sits in a post match press conference and accuses Ezra of not being right

“(The ‘doesn’t mean it’s right’ comment) is some sort of gaslighting rubbish I didn’t think would come out of Trent Robinson’s mouth.

“Especially after the great way he handled Latrell’s abuse from his own fans last year.

“I’m behind Ezra all the way calling this stuff out.”

Last year, Robinson condemned a teenager wearing a Roosters jersey who racially abused Souths star Latrell Mitchell in a match against the Panthers in Penrith.

“It’s really disappointing because we don’t represent the Roosters in that way. That’s not how we want to act as Roosters,” Robinson said at the time.

“Whether we like it or not, they were wearing our colours. We have to accept that, but that doesn’t make them a Rooster.

“If you want to act like that, abuse people and do it racially like that, then that’s not who we are and that’s not who we want to be. We need to get better than that.

“From us, apologising from the Roosters to Latrell is important, even though it’s not directly one of our fans who support us who did that. That’s not right.”

Mam made the official complaint. Photo: Fox League

Spencer Leniu speaks with referee Adam Gee. Photo: Fox League

He added it was a sad reflection on how far Australia still has to go in regards to racism.

Mam has received widespread support from around the NRL after the incident.

Mitchell took to Instagram, writing: “I stand with you Bala @ezra.mam. NRL better deal with this s**t.”

Mam’s Broncos teammate Reece Walsh posted the same image as Mitchell with the caption: “Got you always my brother,” along with fist bump and heart emojis.

Leniu has been referred directly to the judiciary under a contrary conduct charge.

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo spoke regarding the incident, telling Fox Sports News: “It needs to follow natural justice and it needs to be an appropriate hearing.

“An independent panel will look at whatever evidence is available and then make a determination. We’ll respect that.”

Mam, who had to withdraw from this year’s Indigenous All Stars side due to injury, was visibly shaken on the field after the alleged slur and was reportedly in tears.

Originally published as Lote Tuqiri accuses Roosters coach of ‘gaslighting’ amid racism storm