Ezra Mam, the five-eighth for Brisbane, remains resolute in his decision to call out Spencer Leniu’s racial slur during their Las Vegas clash and expresses readiness to meet with the Sydney Roosters prop at the appropriate time.
As a proud Torres Strait Islander, Mam broke his silence on Tuesday regarding Leniu’s derogatory remarks in the round-one game. Mam lodged an official complaint against Leniu’s offensive language, leading to the NRL judiciary suspending Leniu for eight games.
Reflecting on his actions, Mam expressed no regrets, emphasizing his commitment to his cultural values and upbringing. “If there’s anything I’m proud of, it’s my culture, and that’s what I’m going to stick up for. It’s my identity, and that’s the reason why I am here,” Mam stated.
Although initially declining Leniu’s offer to meet in Brisbane, Mam stated his willingness to consider such a meeting in the future. “I think when the time is right, we will have a chat,” he remarked. “I appreciate that he wanted to come up and reach out to me. I have moved on from that now and I will probably have a chat to him when I see him, or whenever it is.”
Mam received significant support from the Broncos club, teammates, and prominent Indigenous rugby league figures following the incident, which uplifted his spirits. “It lifted me up and lifted my spirits up. It’s good to see all the Indigenous and non-Indigenous players reach out to me,” he acknowledged.
Looking ahead, Mam is focused on the present and eager to resume playing. “It was a bit tough, but in saying that I am looking forward to being in the present. I’m not going to talk about it anymore. I’ll get on with the season and start playing some good footy,” he affirmed.
In other developments, the Broncos received a significant boost in training with key players Adam Reynolds, Payne Haas, Brendan Piakura, and Deine Mariner all participating strongly ahead of their upcoming clash with the Wests Tigers. Mam expressed confidence in leading the team in Reynolds’ absence and anticipated a competitive match with the return of the injured players.