Johnathan Thurston has reflected on the emotions he dealt with earlier this year after Roosters star Spencer Leniu was found guilty of racial abuse.
In the first weekend of the season, Leniu called Broncos five-eighth Ezra Mam a “monkey” during the game in Las Vegas.
At the time, Thurston had called for the front-rower to be banned for 12 weeks, urging the NRL to send a message that racism was not tolerated in the sport.
Leniu was suspended for eight games over the incident and, since returning, has become a focal point of the Roosters team and was selected to make his State of Origin debut.
Spencer Leniu missed two months through suspension. Getty
After the sanction was handed down, Thurston said “the game had failed” Mam, as well as the rest of the Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander players in the competition.
Speaking on Nine’s Marlee And Me podcast in an episode to be released this Thursday, September 26, the legendary halfback explained the importance of standing up for his culture and doubled down on his belief that Leniu should have copped a harsher punishment.
“Having a deep understanding of the history of our nation and what our culture has endured, that brought up many scars for our elders,” Thurston said.
“The reason why I said it should have been 12 weeks is because out of all the words in the dictionary that you could use, he’s used racial abuse … that didn’t sit well with me.
“NRL have got Indigenous Round, Indigenous All Stars and Indigenous people working in the NRL. I just thought it was a real good opportunity for the NRL [to make a statement].
“I know they did come out and say it doesn’t stand in our game … but I thought the punishment didn’t fit the crime.”
Thurston wasn’t the only high-profile star to speak up at the time and condemn Leniu’s actions, with the likes of Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker also calling the prop out.
