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Phil Gould says the NRL should have heard the contrary conduct case against Spencer Leniu this week, rather than letting the story dominate headlines and cast a shadow over the remaining round one matches.
Leniu’s alleged “monkey” slur directed at Ezra Mam has become the biggest news story out of a spectacular Las Vegas double-header, with the story certain to bubble away until the Roosters’ new recruit’s case is heard.
It’s understood the judiciary will sit on Tuesday next week, allowing for the completion of round one, but speaking on Wide World of Sports’ Six Tackles with Gus podcast, Gould said the NRL had allowed “damage” to be done to the game by failing to bring it forward.
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“What they should be doing is having the judiciary hearing tonight and not waiting until the completion of the first round – I think he’s not going to be heard until next week is he?,” Gould said on the podcast, which was recorded on Wednesday.
“They’ve got to get it out of the media now. It’s a real shame that what was a great weekend for the game and really enjoyable stuff, this has dominated the headlines since then.
“It’s an uneducated thing for a player to do. It’s a naive thing for a player to do, to think you can do that in this day and age. It’s unacceptable.
” … But what it’s done in the media, bubbling away for the next three or four days, that’s more damage. We can’t leave ourselves open to that. It was an uneducated thing for him to do. Deal with it, let’s move on.”
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It may be the case that the NRL was unable to move the hearing forward due to the fact that players and officials from the Broncos and Roosters, as well as the NRL, did not land back in Australia until Tuesday and then would have needed time to prepare for the case.
Wide World of Sports contacted the NRL for comment.
Since the allegations against Leniu surfaced, players have rallied around Broncos livewire Mam, who was reportedly in tears after the clash against the Roosters.
Latrell Mitchell and Nicho Hynes have been among the stars calling for a harsh penalty to be handed down, should the allegations against Leniu be proven.
The persistent commentary has raised questions around the Roosters player’s right to a fair hearing, although an argument can be mounted that Leniu himself has fanned the flames by describing the clash with Mam as “banter” and calling out Broncos players to find him in their shared Vegas hotel to settle their differences.
A hotel confrontation did eventuate, with the Broncos and Roosters players then sharing an awkward flight to Los Angeles the following day.
When Leniu’s case is finally heard, it is expected that footage not shown during the broadcast will be used to pinpoint the moment the alleged slur was used, with Broncos player Billy Walters appearing to react to something said by Leniu two tackles before Mam’s complaint was made to the referee.
That vision may become a key piece of evidence, with reports suggesting that clear audio of Leniu’s exchange with Mam may not be available.
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