Roosters prop Spencer Leniu to face Broncos for the first time since Ezra Mam racism scandal

Roosters enforcer Spencer Leniu has been warned to brace for a Brisbane beatdown, as he prepares to face off against the Broncos for the first time since the Ezra Mam racism scandal.

Roosters firebrand Spencer Leniu has been warned to brace for a Broncos beating in his first showdown with Brisbane since the Ezra Mam racism scandal.

Leniu and Broncos prop Pat Carrigan will go toe-to-toe in an NRL fixture for the first time since their Las Vegas hotel corridor confrontation.

Leniu was whacked with an eight match suspension after calling Indigenous playmaker Mam a “monkey” during a spiteful season-opener in the United States last year.

But the on-field incident wasn’t where the saga ended.

Hours later at the NRL’s Resorts World hub, Broncos and Roosters players were involved in a heated confrontation that threatened to turn physical.

Spencer Leniu invoved with a heated confrontation with Brisbane’s Kotoni Staggs in their Las Vegas clash in Round 1 2024. Picture: Getty Images

A raging Leniu confronted Mam, who was supported by Brisbane teammates Kotoni Staggs and Carrigan before the situation was defused by a Roosters staffer.

Leniu was still serving his ban when the rivals met for the second time last year and was also suspended for this year’s round 1 encounter at Allianz Stadium, where Brisbane recorded a 50-14 thrashing.

Mam is currently serving an eight-man ban following his off-season drug driving saga and will not feature in the game.

But the gloves will be off at Suncorp when Leniu and the Broncos finally lock horns for the first time since the Vegas scandal.

“The Broncos will remember what happened,” said Maroons legend Billy Moore.

“I have no doubt Pat Carrigan will be keen to make an impression.

“They will meet each other in the front row and I’m sure Carrigan will get stuck in and drop a little reminder if the Broncos get the win.

“I’d be disappointed if the Broncos didn’t remind him of his actions.

“Queenslanders will give him a rev up because that’s what Queenslanders love to do.”

Leniu, 24, joined the Roosters last year after clinching a third straight premiership with Penrith in 2023.

He was one of the NRL’s top props and featured in all three State of Origin games for NSW last year under Michael Maguire, now Brisbane’s coach.

But Moore believes Leniu hasn’t had the same impact at the Roosters as he did at Penrith, perhaps in part due to the Mam saga.

Titans forward David Fifita also got under Leniu’s skin a fortnight ago and baited him into making numerous ill-disciplined plays.

Leniu has been named on the bench by coach Trent Robinson despite the Roosters missing Maroons and Kangaroos prop Lindsay Collins (knee) for the showdown with Carrigan and Payne Haas.

He needs to fire for the Roosters to have any chance of snapping a three-game losing streak against the in-form Broncos.

Leniu has alreadsy come face-to-face with Pat Carrigan in the Origin arena, but has not played against the Broncos in an NRL fixture since the 2024 Las Vegas season opener. Picture: Getty Images

“I wonder if it’s affected him because pre that event, Spencer Leniu was the best bench forward in the comp. Since then, he hasn’t been the same player,” Moore said.

“I was a big fan of Spencer, he was a good player but he has really lost his way since this Ezra Mam kerfuffle.

“I imagine he will want to have a big game against the Broncos but for some reason he isn’t the player he was.

“Sometimes a change of clubs doesn’t work for a player. Spencer hasn’t yet settled at the Roosters.

“Spencer was incredible off the bench for the Panthers but so far the Roosters haven’t got the best out of him.”

Originally published as Roosters prop Spencer Leniu to face Broncos for the first time since Ezra Mam racism scandal