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'Shoosh!': Leniu adds vim to villainy after sin-bin
Joel Gould, AAP • August 10th, 2025 8:11 am
Sydney Roosters prop Spencer Leniu sends the crowd a message after his barnstorming try | Photo: Dave Hunt/AAP
Spencer Leniu thrives on his pantomime villain status but the way he bounced back from a stint in the sin-bin showed how much he offers the Sydney Roosters.
Leniu and fellow Roosters' powerhouse forward Naufahu Whyte were both sin-binned in the ninth minute of the 64-12 thrashing of the Dolphins on Saturday night at Suncorp Stadium.
It was what Leniu, and Whyte, did when they returned that most impressed coach Trent Robinson, who said the sin-bin fracas was essentially "hot air" where "nothing really happened".
Roosters prop Naufahu Whyte (left) and Dolphins counterpart Frank Molo exchange pleasantries | Photo: Dave Hunt/AAP
The Roosters are now ninth on 26 points and after a poor start to the season can force their way into the top-eight if they can beat Canterbury at home on Friday night.
Dolphins duo Aublix Tawha and Frank Molo joined the Roosters' duo in the sin-bin on Saturday night. Leniu had shaped up to Tawha after Mark Nawaqanitawase scored his second try and a melee ensued.
Leniu returned to power onto a pass and steamroll his way over to score in the 39th minute and then put his hand to his mouth to "shoosh" the crowd.
Whyte steamrolled all night and showed why he is one of the form forwards in the NRL.
"I saw them at halftime and they were sitting next to each other and both apologised for getting sent to the bin," Robinson said.
"They must have talked in that 10 minutes (in the sin-bin) and then they set a tone.
"They both came back and obviously the pair of them had the dial back a couple of notches from when they left and took over the defence and the attack. Spenny's try was great.
"That's a really nice forward's try to break on that line and then to run around the fullback. Then they started the second half and got the tone started for us again.
"It is a credit to them. They are front-rowers who were upset about their half being had a go at. They went too far, went to the bin and then dialled it back and went to work."
Roosters captain James Tedesco, who was man of the match and scored two tries, said Leniu and Whyte both played integral roles.
"Naufahu has been our best all year with the way he has led the forward pack. He has been unbelievable after just playing his 50th game the other week," Tedesco said.
"Spencer relishes in that villain role but I think they both knew when they came back on that they had let us down a bit but they changed the momentum and got us rolling through the middle. Our spine took advantage."
Tedesco has been the NRL's best player in 2025 and his coach summed up why.
"A lot of fullbacks want the sweep lines, swinging out wide and creating three-on-twos and all of that," Robinson said.
"Teddy starts at the ruck and then moves to an edge, moves to another edge, chases a kick and fields a kick with so much variety in his play.
"We obviously opened up the ruck tonight. I thought Naufahu Whyte did a strong job with a lot of other guys. Teddy was the catalyst."
