Latrell Mitchell has reiterated his condemnation of Roosters forward Spencer Leniu, backing a prolonged suspension for the front-rower should he be proven guilty of racially abusing Broncos star Ezra Mam by calling him a “monkey.”
Mitchell has intervened in the alleged racism controversy on two occasions since the NRL’s Las Vegas venture was marred by the scandal surrounding Leniu’s alleged mistreatment of Mam. The Rabbitohs’ fullback initially expressed solidarity with Mam on Instagram, emphasizing that the NRL “needs to address this situation seriously.”
On Tuesday morning (AEDT), Mitchell reacted to an SEN Radio post where commentator Andrew Voss suggested an eight-to-12-week suspension for Leniu if found guilty, by responding “and then some.”
Leniu is set to arrive in Sydney on Tuesday along with the rest of the Roosters touring contingent and has been directly referred to the judiciary for contrary conduct.
His post-match remarks regarding the alleged incident, where he characterized it as “just fun and games on the field, a bit of banter,” and invited Mam to “come and see me,” have received criticism from several players and opponents of the Broncos.
Following the purported on-field altercation, the Roosters prop had another confrontation with Brisbane’s Pat Carrigan and Kotoni Staggs in the corridors of their Las Vegas hotel mere hours later.
Staggs, Mitchell, and Rabbitohs veteran Cody Walker are among the players who have openly expressed support for Mam on social media. Mitchell’s connection with his former club has experienced tension since his transition to South Sydney.
Mitchell clinched two premierships during his tenure at Bondi before his contentious departure, which was exacerbated by his own six-week suspension due to a high tackle that resulted in Joey Manu sustaining a broken jaw in 2021.
The two founding clubs will go head-to-head in a highly anticipated Friday night fixture at Allianz Stadium in round three.
Leniu is expected to appear before the NRL judiciary this week to expedite the resolution of the matter, despite the ample time before the Roosters’ next match on March 17 against Manly.
