Sydney Roosters prop Spencer Leniu has confirmed he will plead guilty to a contrary conduct charge levelled against him during Round 1 in Las Vegas.
The NRL have also confirmed the judiciary hearing will be brought forward to Monday night after an application received from the Roosters.
During the contest in Las Vegas, play was halted and Leniu was placed on report for an alleged racial slur against Brisbane Broncos indigenous fullback Ezra Mam.
The star five-eighth made the complaint to referee Adam Gee who told Roosters' captain James Tedesco he had heard nothing, but was placing the incident on report to be investigated.
It was later reported Leniu had called Mam a monkey.
A charge of contrary conduct with a direct referral to the judiciary was then confirmed by the match review committee on Monday.
Leniu, who up until now has held his silence except for a brief interview with Triple M Radio after the game where he labelled the incident "all fun and games on the field" and claimed he had "nothing to worry about", has now spoken in a club statement confirming he has pled guilty.
The prop apologised to Mam and said he never meant it in a racist way.
“I want to apologise to Ezra and his family for using the word I did and I am sincerely sorry to cause him such distress,” Leniu said in the statement.
“I've put my hand up and want to take ownership of this. I said the word but I didn't mean it in a racist way. Anyone who knows me knows that's not who I am."
Roosters' CEO Joe Kelly said the club also apologises to Mam.
“Spencer has been completely open and honest throughout this process, and we will continue to support him,” Kelly said.
“We extend our deepest apologies to Ezra, his family and the wider Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community and offer our support to all parties during this time.
“We respect the Judiciary process. Accordingly, the Club will not be making any further comment prior to the hearing."
