Spencer Leniu has launched a verbal tirade at former Cowboys legend turned Channel Nine commentator Johnathan Thurston in a fiery on-field incident at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.
Following the Roosters’ 26-16 win over the Broncos on Friday night, Leniu allegedly approached Thurston and voiced his disapproval of comments previously made by the former Queensland and Australian representative.
Roosters prop Spencer Leniu.Credit: Getty Images
Sources with knowledge of the situation talking on the condition of anonymity told the Herald that Thurston was stunned by Leniu’s remarks.
It is believed Leniu’s Roosters teammate Siua Wong intervened. The incident is believed to have been captured by Nine cameras.
Spencer came from the field with 20 minutes to go and allegedly called Thurston a f—wit. He approached Thurston again after the match and allegedly referred to him as a f—ing c—.
They crossed paths again in the tunnel after the match, with Leniu admitting it was in relation to the Ezra Mam racism row in Las Vegas last year.
Channel Nine had advertised that Thurston would be conducting post-match interviews inside the Roosters sheds. However, he was later replaced by Cameron Smith.
Thurston was critical of the NRL’s punishment of Leniu last year after he was found guilty of calling Broncos Indigenous player Ezra Mam a monkey and banned for eight weeks.
“The NRL had a great opportunity to make a stand, not only for the game but for society as well,” Thurston said on the Nine Network’s Today Show last year.
“I think the game has failed in this instance. I don’t think the eight weeks is sufficient for what has been said and the mental scars that have been brought up with what our culture has endured since colonisation. It was a great opportunity to go 12 weeks as a blanket ban for all racial vilification if you are found guilty.”
More to come
