Ezra Mam made a formal complaint about Spencer Leniu to referee Adam Gee during Brisbane’s 20-10 loss to the Sydney Roosters in their season-opener in Las Vegas.
"Ezra has made a formal complaint that’s racial in nature against Spencer," Gee told Chooks skipper James Tedesco with Adam Reynolds and Mam also on hand to hear the report.
Ezra Mam lodges complaint about Spencer Leniu after alleged racial comment
The incident occurred with just over 10 minutes remaining of the contest, which was the second match in America after Manly had earlier beaten South Sydney at Allegiant Stadium.
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Both sides had gone toe-to-toe in a physical clash that contained more than its fair share of big hits.
However, during a flare up involving Leniu and Kotoni Staggs, the Brisbane playmaker has alleged to have been on the receiving end of a comment from the new Roosters enforcer.
"Things are getting a little heated here in the middle," Mick Ennis said on Fox League.
"It’s Spencer Leniu who Lindsay Collins has just taken to the back to calm down.
"If he’s not careful, Spencer Leniu, he might get the disappearing act."
Yet the shocking complaint was then made public with the referee informing both captains of the incident.
"I haven’t heard it, but it will go on report, and it will be dealt with after," Gee explained. "And that’s where it’s left."
Immediately after the complaint was put on report, Patrick Carrigan flew off the line to smack Collins before Mam smashed Victor Radley as tensions threatened to boil over once again.
Luckily, things simmered down before the Roosters prop left the field with only seconds left on the clock as he continued to engage in heated discussions with a host of Brisbane players.
"He had a running battle verbally with Broncos players as he left the field," Ennis said.
Kevin Walters and Adam Reynolds react to Ezra Mam racism complaint
"He's pretty upset in there," Kevin Walters said post-match.
"But we're going to leave that in the hands of the NRL to police and adjudicate on.
"We support Ezra and our player in everything that's around that."
Walters initially attempted to avoid any further questions about the incident when he started to say he hadn't had a chance to speak to the five-eighth in the sheds but corrected himself instantly.
"I haven't had a good chance - well, actually no, he's adamant," Walters said.
"But we'll leave it with the NRL. They're looking at it, so I won't make any more comment on it, except that we're supporting our player and rightly so."
Adam Reynolds admitted he didn't hear the alleged comment during the scuffle between the two teams in the second half, but echoed Walters' comments on the matter.
"I didn't hear it initially as I was well away from it," the skipper said.
"But like Kev said, we support our player. He is pretty upset in there and we certainly don't stand for racism.
"It's never nice to hear any racism slur or anything. In this day and age, you wouldn't think it's still out there, so it's a bit of a shock."
"I'm certainly upset by it," Walters added.
"We don't stand for that in our club but again it's not our doing and we won't take any more questions on it except to say we support Ezra in every way."
Spencer Leniu dismisses Ezra Mam allegation post-match
Speaking to Triple M immediately after the game, Leniu brushed off Mam's allegation.
"Nah, nothing in it," Leniu told reporter Brent Read. "It's all just fun and games and that's it. I'm not worried at all."
Meanwhile, Trent Robinson refused to be drawn into discussion around the incident.
"Ezra is adamant...but that doesn’t mean it’s right," Robinson said.
"He obviously made the complaint but that doesn’t mean that it’s right, so it will go through the formal process as it should."
