Rugby League legend Johnathan Thurston has released a statement following the on-field spat he had with Sydney Roosters enforcer Spencer Leniu, with the pair’s sideline war of words becoming a hot topic in the sport.
The Roosters faced off against Brisbane on Friday night with the Broncos losing at home for the first time this season as they fell to a 26-16 defeat against Trent Robinson’s out-of-form side.
It was a major upset win for the Roosters, who had been almost 4/1 outsiders, however, the game was marred by a post-match incident between rugby league legend Johnathan Thurston and Roosters’ forward Spencer Leniu.
Thurston, who was covering the game for broadcasters Channel Nine, was allegedly labelled a “f***wit” by Spencer Leniu when the forward was substituted just ahead of the hour mark, however, the Queensland legend didn’t leave it there.
Approaching Leniu after the game, the pair became embroiled in a war of words which would spill into the sheds and now onto social media, with both men releasing statements of sort.
Rugby League legend Johnathan Thurston breaks silence after Spencer Leniu spat in latest NRL drama
The issue that Spencer Leniu is believed to have had with Thurston regards the eight-week ban he earned last year in Las Vegas when he was found guilty of calling Brisbane’s Ezra Mam a ‘monkey’.
Thurston was critical of the punishment, claiming that the NRL could and should have made a stronger statement and handed down a harsher ban.
Leniu’s issue was Thurston allegedly revolved around his silence after Ezra Mam would then only get a nine-week ban after crashing his car whilst under the influence of drugs, putting a young girl in hospital in the process. Many around the NRL believed that punishment needed to be stronger with plenty vocal, but Thurston was not among them.
Posting on Instagram, Spencer Leniu wrote: “I never wanted to talk to JT. He kept trying to come speak to me. Lad (I don’t care) that you hate me for what I did. But don’t come up to me asking questions like we’re (all good).”
Leniu would end his statement declaring: “I hate fake people,” whilst Thurston has broken his own silence and issued a statement.
“Let me start by saying I was shocked by what unfolded Friday night,” the ex-Queensland star wrote.
“On a podcast 12 months ago, I made a comment on the penalty issued to Spencer Leniu by the NRL in regards to racial comments he had made.
“As a proud Indigenous man, I clearly do not endorse Spencer’s remark in Las Vegas last year. However, the comments I made were an opinion on the penalty he was given and it is an opinion I stand by.
“As Spencer left the field during last night’s match he made an abusive comment to me, which took me and those around me by surprise.
“The comment was not of a racial nature but was overly aggressive in tone and unwarranted.
“After the match, I approached Spencer on the field to seek clarity on what he said and why he had said it. Spencer was again overly aggressive, and it became clear that he had interpreted the comments I made 12 months ago as a personal attack on him which was not the case.
“A further conversation took place later with Roosters officials and Spencer outside the sheds. I remain available if Spencer or the Roosters would like to discuss this matter privately.”
The incident has certainly detracted from what was a brilliant win by the Roosters, particularly given the fact they lost 50-14 to the same opponents at home in Round One.
