Live: ‘I never said that’: Video shows Thurston’s conversation with Roosters coach

The fallout from Spencer Leniu’s confrontation with Johnathan Thurston on Friday night continues, with Channel Nine releasing video the commentator’s post-match conversation with Roosters coach Trent Robinson.

The audio becomes clearer midway through the discussion in the tunnel at Lang Park after the Roosters’ 26-16 win over the Broncos, with an agitated Thurston talking to Robinson alongside captain James Tedesco.

Robinson: Everybody went after him. To be called racism … [unintelligible]

Thurston: I never said that though.

Robinson: I don’t know what you said, I’m just saying …

Thurston: I said I don’t believe he’s a racist. I just said I don’t think the punishment fits the crime.

After Leniu called Broncos five-eighth Ezra Mam a “monkey” during the 2024 round-one clash in Las Vegas, Thurston said Leniu’s “racial abuse” should have elicited a more severe punishment “to make a stand, not only for the game but for society as well”.

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On Friday night, Robinson said the conversation was simply “two guys having a conversation” and “nothing wrong was said”.

But Thurston, in a statement, said Leniu “made an abusive comment to me, which took me and those around me by surprise”.

“The comment was not of a racial nature but was overly aggressive in tone and unwarranted,” Thurston said.

“After the match, I approached Spencer on the field to seek clarity on what he said and why he had said it. Spencer was again overly aggressive, and it became clear that he had interpreted the comments I made 12 months ago as a personal attack on him, which was not the case.”

Thurston said he is open to further discussions with Leniu.

Hello and welcome to another glorious Sunday of rugby league action.

We’ve got the Storm against the Warriors at a sold-out AAMI Park in Melbourne, before the Knights and Tigers wrap things up in the Hunter.

Let’s get into it.