By SCOTT BAILEY in Las Vegas
An NRL player has been referred to the judiciary over an alleged on-field racial slur to Brisbane Broncos Indigenous star Ezra Mam during the league’s opening round in Las Vegas on the weekend.
Sydney Roosters Spencer Leniu is alleged to have called Mam a “monkey” during Saturday’s game in the US.
Leniu, a Samoan, denied the claim on field, and could be heard saying to referee Adam Gee, “Why would I say that?”.
Mam was picked up on mic telling referee Adam Gee “he called me a monkey” late in the second half of the Broncos’ 20-10 loss to the Roosters.
And tensions between the clubs remained high late into the night in Vegas, with players exchanging words as they passed each other at the Hilton at Resorts World hotel where both teams were staying.
Witnesses said there was no threat of a physical altercation, and Leniu was ushered down the corridor by club staff as words were exchanged.
Leniu told Triple M after the match he was not “worried at all”, and that the incident was “just fun and games on the field, that’s it”.
But an upset Mam has told Broncos officials he is adamant the alleged slur was made.
“NRL better deal with this s**t,” South Sydney’s Indigenous star Latrell Mitchell said after the game.
Indigenous All Stars captain Latrell Mitchell has demanded the NRL take action, while posting “typical” alongside a headline detailing the alleged incident.
“I stand with you Bala,” Mitchell posted on an Instagram story.
“NRL better deal with this s**t.”
Leniu’s post-match comment has drawn the ire of some players, with Cody Walker and Broncos centre Kotoni Staggs among those expressing their frustration on social media.
Johnathan Thurston said he had been left upset by the allegation, and reported Mam was “in tears”.
“A little bit emotional … that in this day and age one of our players will be allegedly saying what he said,” Thurston said on Nine.
“After coming here, 40,000 people. Two massive cracking games, and now we’re dealing with this. We didn’t need it after round one.”
Sydney Roosters’ Spencer Leniu has been charged by the NRL.
The NRL has largely avoided any on-field racial incidents in the past decade, with Mitchell Barnett the last accused of a slur – by Tyrone Peachey in 2020.
Barnett denied the allegation, and the investigation was closed when a review of footage and audio uncovered no evidence.
Paul Gallen was fined $10,000 for a racial slur against St George Illawarra’s Mickey Paea in 2009.
Gallen made a public apology over the incident, and stood down as Cronulla captain.
Warriors winger Marcelo Montoya was suspended for four games in 2022 for a homophobic slur in a match against North Queensland.
