Sydney Roosters firebrand Spencer Leniu keeping cool with reggae music before return to Penrith

Spencer Leniu gravitates towards particular genres of music during game week.

“A bit of reggae, a bit of country and stuff like that, nice gospel music,” he said. “I try to listen to some relaxing, cheerful music. I like just to stay cool. It’s easy for me to get into the red, so I need to just chill a little bit before the game.”

The game this time is against Penrith, in Penrith, for the first time since leaving Penrith. There’s a lot on the line for everybody at BlueBet Stadium on Friday night, but the Roosters enforcer might be feeling this NRL qualifying final more than most.

At the very least, it threw up some “mixed emotions early in the week” and prompted him to text another former Panther in Stephen Crichton for guidance.

Leniu spent five formative years with the Panthers, developing his game under the likes of Moses Leota and James Fisher-Harris during the club’s three-peat dominance. Since moving east at the start of 2024, though, the 24-year-old has not yet faced his former club, having been suspended for their only regular-season meeting, a 22-16 loss in March.

Now, through quirks of fate and timing, the volatile prop is two days away from finally walking into the away sheds at his old home, then running out onto his old field, with no idea how he will be received.

In truth, whether he is cheered or booed by the old faithful is not the main point of concern.

“I’ve got a lot of love for that community and those people, and I grew up there,” he said. “They’re passionate fans, and they’re entitled to cheer or boo.”