Johnathan Thurston says rugby league has failed the Indigenous community by handing Spencer Leniu an eight-week ban for calling Broncos playmaker Ezra Mam a “monkey” in the Las Vegas season-opener.

Thurston, an Indigenous leader in the game, said an opportunity to take a stand against racism had been lost, and that he believed a 12-week suspension would have been more appropriate for the hurt it has caused Mam and First Nations people.

“I was looking at, probably 12 weeks would have been sufficient for racial vilification on the field,” Thurston said.

“I understand that he’s [Leniu] owned up to what he has said, but the NRL, we have the Indigenous All Stars match, we have the Indigenous round, they have an NRL Indigenous strategy team, so we’re saying and doing all the right things but I definitely don’t think that the crime has fit the punishment.”

Leniu’s ban is the longest the NRL has issued for contrary conduct. Warriors winger Marcelo Montoya, the last player to front the judiciary over an on-field remark, was banned for four matches for a homophobic slur directed at a Cowboys rival.

Thurston said the incident had opened up wounds for Mam and the Indigenous community.

“I was quite emotional talking about it,” Thurston said. “It opened up a lot of scars for our people, and I know that Spencer’s come out, he’s owned it like he has, he’s apologised to Ezra, I understand he wants to have a face-to-face meeting with Ezra as well.

“I spoke to Ezra after the match to check on him, on his wellbeing. He was pretty shattered about it all. He’s got great family support around him, [and] there’s players around him as well.