{"id":312364,"date":"2023-06-28T21:42:47","date_gmt":"2023-06-28T21:42:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=312364"},"modified":"2023-06-29T01:00:04","modified_gmt":"2023-06-29T01:00:04","slug":"beef-that-could-throw-panthers-gun-into-origin-mix","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=312364","title":{"rendered":"'Beef' that could throw Panthers gun into Origin mix"},"content":{"rendered":"

Panthers<\/a> forward Spencer Leniu<\/a> has weighed in on his fiery on-field feud with Roosters<\/a> enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.<\/a><\/p>\n

During the Panthers' round 15 loss to the Tricolours, the 22-year-old found himself in a flashpoint moment with Waerea-Hargreaves, requiring players from both sides to separate the pair.<\/p>\n

However, Leniu showed no signs of backing down, instead challenging the Kiwi veteran to finish what they started in the car park after the match.<\/p>\n

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"You know, when you're in that red (mist) head, you just say whatever," Leniu said.<\/p>\n

\"Jared<\/p>\n

"Whatever happens on the field stays on the field. But if he wants to escalate it, I'm keen too. He's been there for 10-plus years, if he wants to hold a grudge, that's on him.<\/p>\n

"I couldn't care less. I'll just do whatever I can for the team and cross that bridge when it comes."<\/p>\n

Stream the NRL premiership 2023 live and free on<\/strong><\/em> 9Now<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

At the time of the incident, Penrith playmaker Jarome Luai said Waerea-Hargreaves had overstepped on the field and that the Panthers players had had enough of his antics.<\/p>\n

Luai also claimed Waerea-Hargreaves had been sledging Leniu in the lead-up to the incident after teammate Moses Leota was removed from the field for a HIA after copping an elbow from Waerea-Hargreaves.<\/p>\n

"[He] ticked us all off \u2026 there's got to be a drawing of a line in the sand. We'd had enough of him," said Luai.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Both players were sent to the bin following Leniu's heated spray, while the Panthers youngster also received a fine from the NRL match review committee for his actions.<\/p>\n

Leniu said his intention on impulse was solely to protect his teammate from being bullied.<\/p>\n

"In the heat of the moment I was sort of protecting Jarome," he said.<\/p>\n

"Whatever happens on the field stays on the field. I think it was a good spectacle for the fans, seeing all that stuff instead of seeing the usual week-to-week footy, a bit of beef in the game.<\/p>\n

The heated dispute between the prop-forwards will need to be resolved before the duo become teammates in 2024, with Leniu signing a three-year deal with the Roosters.<\/p>\n

"It's a funny one thinking about it, with me going there next year, but it is what it is," Leniu said.<\/p>\n

\"JWH<\/p>\n

"I'm gonna do whatever I can to be the best I can be this year to help me get another [premiership] ring and I'll just worry about that stuff when it comes.<\/p>\n

"Jared's not on my mind every week. I've got the best two front-rowers in my opinion, in [James] Fisher-Harris and Moses Leota. I feel if I compete with them every single day at training then it gives me confidence going in every week against my opposition front-rowers.<\/p>\n

"I appreciate those two boys. They've done a lot for me in my short NRL time and it's going to be sad playing against them."<\/p>\n

In the wake of consecutive State of Origin<\/a> losses, Leniu is up for Blues<\/a> consideration as New South Wales coach Brad Fittler finds himself under pressure to make changes.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

And Leniu has shown selectors that he is ready to take on the physical challenge that is Origin football.<\/p>\n

"It's a dream and it's only gonna be a dream until it's a reality," Leniu said.<\/p>\n

"I'm just gonna put this at the forefront of my mind, these Penrith boys, and try to play the best I can [and] be the best teammate I can.<\/p>\n

"And if that comes with it then I'll be taking that opportunity with both hands\u2026 But I'm not really thinking about that, I just want to play good footy for the boys."<\/p>\n

Leniu will have the opportunity to further state his case in the Panthers' battle against the Storm on Friday night.<\/p>\n

For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by<\/strong><\/em> clicking here<\/strong><\/em><\/a>!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Panthers forward Spencer Leniu has weighed in on his fiery on-field feud with Roosters enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves. During the Panthers' round 15 loss to the […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":306537,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/312364"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=312364"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/312364\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":312369,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/312364\/revisions\/312369"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/306537"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=312364"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=312364"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=312364"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}