Mam and Leniu deliver shock end to scandal in unlikely captured exchange

Adam Brax
Ezra-Mam-and-Spencer-Leniu

Spencer Leniu (L) and Ezra Mam sort it out in the middle of Optus Stadium on Wednesday night.

After the final siren sounded in Perth on Wednesday night, State of Origin Game II delivered an unexpected, heartwarming moment – missed by many but deeply powerful.

In the middle of Optus Stadium, Blues enforcer Spencer Leniu sought out Queensland’s 18th man, Ezra Mam.

A brief but heartfelt exchange, followed by an emotional embrace, marked the end of a 16-month fallout stemming from a racism scandal that had cast a shadow over both players.

When we talk about role models, many might argue that Mam and Leniu don’t have a leg to stand on. But in the spirit of second chances, we could all take something from the humility shown by these two young players who rose above the noise on Wednesday night.

“It’s great that me and Spencer got the chance to see each other face to face last night,” Mam told The Sydney Morning Herald on Thursday. “As for the racial vilification issue, that’s in the past now. We’ve moved forward.”

The moment was a significant step towards healing, after Leniu was banned for eight matches in March for calling Mam a “monkey” during the Roosters-Broncos clash in Las Vegas.

Leniu has since denied any racial malice, saying he believed it was “one brown man saying something to another brown man.”

But on Wednesday night, the conversation shifted away from excuses. It became about accountability, humility, and the courage to make peace.

Despite the sting of a narrow loss, Leniu crossed the field and made a point of finding Mam – in what may have been the most meaningful play of the night.

Keeping an eye on his Broncos and Maroons teammate, Patrick Carrigan – one of the players who had confronted Leniu after the incident last year – remained silent as watchful witness as two men put the past to rest.

Mam, too, has faced recent challenges, including a drug-driving suspension. But both men, still just 24 and 23, seem determined to grow – not just as athletes, but as men.

As we know, sometimes the best moments in footy happen after the game is done.

NRL Ezra Mam

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