How two embarrassing mistakes made the Roosters lodge an official complaint over hearing that saw Spencer Leniu banned for racist slur
The Roosters have made an official complaint to the NRL over the failure of their own legal counsel to identify Spencer Leniu by his correct name and nationality.
In almost comical scenes, Lachlan Gyles SC’s opening speech referred to the Tricolors enforcer as ‘Spencer Luai’ and stated that he played international rugby league for Tonga as opposed to Samoa.
Gyles’ glaring blunders were quickly corrected during the hearing by NRL Judiciary chairman Geoff Bellew SC.
But according to the Sydney Morning Heraldthe Roosters have since relayed their concerns about Gyles’ mistakes to the NRL.
Gyles has also privately apologized for his mistakes.
NRL lawyer Lachlan Gyles SC referred to Samoan player Spencer Leniu as Tongan during the hearing – and also referred to him as ‘Spencer Luai’
Spencer Leniu claimed during hearing that he didn’t know his ‘monkey’ comments against Ezra Mam were racist
Leniu represented Samoa in seven Tests and was a teammate of Jarome Luai at the Panthers as they won three NRL premierships between 2021 and 2023.
The blunders came as the Rooster wad was hit with a hefty suspension for racially slandering Broncos kingpin Ezra Mam.
Leniu was suspended for eight matches by the NRL judiciary after they rejected claims he was unaware he was racially vilifying Ezra Mam when he called him a ‘monkey’.
Leniu admitted at the March 11 hearing in Sydney that he told Mom to “fuck your monkey” during an on-field verbal stoush in the season-opening double-header in Las Vegas against Brisbane.
During the 90-minute hearing, Leniu said he thought he was “a brown man saying something to another brown man” and that he did not realize the racial connotations of the comment.
He argued that players of color in NRL squads regularly called each other names including ‘blacky’, ‘monkey’ and ‘black c***’.
“At the time I thought it was a brown man saying something to another brown man,” Leniu told the panel of Sean Hampstead, Bob Lindner and Geoff Bellew.
Mom refused to personally accept an apology from Leniu and saw ‘red’ after the incident in Las Vegas
‘The use of words is so common.
‘This game went so fast and in that split second I said a word, I didn’t know any meaning to it.
“I didn’t know how much that meant to the Indigenous community and his family.
‘It was just one of those things. I tackled someone, he said something to me and I said something to him.’
In a statement to the panel, Mam said he saw red and was “angry” and “disappointed” with Leniu after the incident.
The native star described the pain he and his family felt, something the panel said they took into account when issuing the tough ban.
The Roosters star admitted he hit Mom with the slur during the teams’ match in the US
Mom (pictured playing the Roosters in Vegas) sent a twelve-paragraph statement to the hearing, but eight of those paragraphs were kept secret
The panel took into account that Leniu apologized to Mam and hoped to fly to Brisbane and address him in person once the Broncos five-eighths were open for a meeting.
“There is no room for racism in this game,” Leniu said.
‘I’m glad he brought this up. I had no racist intentions towards Ezra and the indigenous community.
‘I love them and their culture. I don’t think there would be a game without those people.”
Gyles asked Leniu if he was aware of any incidents such as that involving Adam Goodes at the Sydney Swans, or other racist comments involving references to monkeys or apes.
When Leniu said this was not the case, Gyles suggested that “most people who have been in Australia for fifteen years would know that it would normally be racism to call someone a monkey.”
The prop said his post-match comments, in which he labeled the incident as “banter”, stemmed from a lack of knowledge, and that he was only made aware of the history surrounding the word “monkey” when he arrived the next morning contacted an indigenous woman. Instagram.
But Bellew said the panel ‘did not accept the player’s alleged ignorance’ and rejected calls from Leniu’s lawyer James McLeod for a four-match ban.
Several NRL stars – including Latrell Mitchell – voiced their support for Leniu when the slur became public
Roosters CEO Joe Kelly said after the hearing that all players and staff would receive an education programme, while his NRL counterpart praised Mam’s response.
“I spoke to Ezra to commend him for speaking out and taking a stand,” NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo said.
“It was heartwarming to see the game rally around him during this time.
“I also acknowledge Spencer Leniu’s sincere contrition and apology and ask everyone to consider his well-being following a difficult period in his young career.
‘We are human and we make mistakes. This is how we all learn and grow.’
Leniu’s suspension means he will miss the second leg against Brisbane in round nine and make his comeback the following week against the Warriors on May 12.