Samoa prop Spencer Leniu faces a two-match ban at the start of his Parramatta career after being charged with grade-three contrary conduct over his dissent towards referee Adam Gee in Samoa's 44-12 Rugby League World Cup semi-final defeat by Australia.

Leniu was sin-binned shortly before half-time at Allianz Stadium on Sunday after confronting Gee, and appeared to make a money gesture as he left the field. The NRL match review committee laid the charge on Monday: an early guilty plea carries a two-match suspension, rising to three matches if he contests it and is found guilty.

Pacific players paid $850 a game

Minutes before the charge was handed down, Leniu posted on social media to highlight the pay gap at the tournament. He wrote that Pacific players were paid $850 a game while Australian players received $30,000 to $40,000 for the tournament, adding that the smaller nations had carried the World Cup.

Australian players receive $40,000 for the tournament under the collective bargaining agreement, while players from other nations get $850 per game with a maximum flat fee of $4,250, according to AAP. Samoa captain Jarome Luai backed Leniu with a post of his own.

If Leniu accepts the ban, he will miss Parramatta's opening two games of the 2027 season, including the trip to Las Vegas to face Gold Coast on 28 February.