Broncos coach Kevin Walters has snapped at reporters after being quizzed on Ezra Mam’s response to Spencer Leniu’s suspension.
Roosters prop Leniu was hit with an eight-week ban for calling Mam a “monkey” when the sides clashed in Las Vegas in Round 1.
Leniu denied using the slur in a racial way but the judiciary rejected that and handed down the historic suspension, which some greats of the game thought was too short.
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NRL legend Johnathan Thurston wanted 12 weeks, while a clearly irritated Walters wouldn’t be drawn on the topic on Wednesday.
Asked how Mam was feeling in the aftermath, the fourth-year coach was short in response.
“I don’t want to talk about the suspension,” Walters said.
Walters was pressed on how Mam had been training since the incident and he snapped back: “Well you watch training, what did you think?”
The reporter replied: “I’m not an expert, you are the coach.”
But Walters wasn’t budging as his side chases their first win of the season when they host the Rabbitohs on Thursday night.
“I won’t make any comment on it, I’ll leave that to the NRL,” Walters said.
“Ezra has been fine. He has been good. He is ready to go.
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“We put it (the Mam-Leniu saga) to bed at the end of last week when it was handed over to the NRL,” Walters said.
“Our focus the last three and four days has been on the game.
“It’s nice to get back to Suncorp, especially for our fans, being away for the first period of the season in Vegas.
“This game is really important for us as a club.
“We need our focus in the right direction rather than looking too far ahead.”
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