He’s only just turned 25, but when it comes to polarising the rugby league community, NSW Blues forward Spencer Leniu has become one of game’s most intense lightning rods.
Not that he has any intention of changing his ways.
Speaking on the Mayday podcast with with his Toa Samoa teammate Terrell May, the Sydney Roosters firebrand was full of reflection, but few regrets, of the recently-completed NRL 2025 season.
“The whole (Roosters) season was just a massive roller coaster,” Leniu explained of a year that began with a 50-14 flogging at the hands of eventual premiers Brisbane.
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“Right from the start every person was writing us off, ‘you’re never going to make the eight’.
“I think it built a lot of character within the team and in the back end of the season we found ourselves.
“I sought of compare it to my first year at Penrith, they debuted heaps of young players and in terms of progression (at the Roosters) we had eight debutants this year, we have a young squad, and for us to perform the way we did at the back end of the year, that excites me for next year, although it was disappointing, it was still a semi-success for us.”
While it was a year filled with lessons for Trent Robinson’s squad, Leniu says it wasn’t just the younger Roosters who learned things, explaining the challenging season reinforced his resolve to stay true to himself regardless of external noise and criticism.
“Never change, especially when the pressure’s put on you,” Leniu responded when asked about the most important thing he’s learned in his rugby league career.
“Just stay in my own lane and be me, bro.
“It’s so easy to fall in line with how society wants you to behave, but you may not fit the criteria of how other people want you to be.
“No matter how famous or how much money I get, I’m still that kid from ‘Mincho’ (Leniu played junior footy for the Minchinbury Jets in western Sydney alongside Terrell May) and south Auckland, a kid that didn’t have much.”
Leniu was especially fired up about his ‘bad guy’ portrayal in the media.
“Controversy sells,” he acknowledged.
“But that burns me inside when they (the media) only come out when something bad’s happened.
“I’ve been pressured a lot on social media, but I don’t feel like I’ve switched up one bit, I’ve stayed true to myself through the ups and the downs.”
Leniu will miss the upcoming Pacific Cup through injury.