Cricket
Racing
Rugby
League
Motorsport
Football
Golf
Combat Sports
Basketball
Tennis
Other Sports
Sport Nation
Moment Mam and Leniu buried the ugly racism scandal
SENZ • June 20th, 2025 12:55 pm
It was one of the ugliest moments of the 2024 season, but Ezra Mam and Spencer Leniu have finally buried the hatchet after the Las Vegas racism scandal.
The pair were seen embracing and engaging in conversation after Queensland’s two-point victory against NSW Blues on Wednesday night.
Leniu was seen approaching the Maroons’ 18th man after the siren suggesting they have moved on from the feud which earned the Roosters star an eight-match ban last year.
While both the Roosters and Broncos were in Las Vegas to kick start the 2024 NRL season, Leniu labelled Mam a 'monkey' which he insisted was nothing more than “one brown man saying something to another brown man”.
Speaking to Fairfax after the exchange, Mam said: "It's great that me and Spencer got the chance to see each other face-to-face last night.
"As for the racial vilification issue, that's in the past now. We've moved forward.
"The story in the media that said I thought I was being booed at Brookvale because of this issue is not true. I understand the situation and why that happened and will continue to work on being a better person and making the right choices."
In the aftermath of the racism scandal, Queensland legend Johnathan Thurston suggested Leniu’s ban was not a harsh enough sanction with his comments leading to some sideline altercations between the pair earlier this season.
Leniu has since been on a self imposed media ban.
Queensland levelled the 2025 Origin series on Wednesday night at Optus Stadium.
Having led by 20 points at half time the Maroons were seemingly cruising to victory before being besieged by a rampant second-half Blues side.
It was only for the NSW side’s terrible kicking that Billy Slater’s team managed to hold on to secure a narrow victory
__The decider will be played in Sydney on July 9 and SEN will be live streaming the game.
__
__
