Ezra Mam, the young Broncos player, has reportedly been issued a notice to appear in court after police alleged that he failed a secondary drug test following a car accident in Brisbane last month. According to reports, Mam was involved in an incident on October 18, where he was allegedly driving without a valid license. It’s claimed that he veered onto the opposite side of the road, resulting in a head-on collision with an Uber driver. The crash left a mother and her young daughter with minor injuries.
At the scene, Mam allegedly failed an initial roadside drug test and was subsequently arrested. Following this, he underwent a secondary drug test on November 12, which reportedly returned a positive result. As a result, he now faces charges for driving with a relevant drug in his system and driving unlicensed.
According to The Courier Mail, Mam is set to face court on December 16. Broncos CEO Dave Donaghy confirmed on Wednesday that the club was informed of the situation and emphasized that they intend to cooperate fully with the ongoing legal process and the NRL Integrity Unit’s inquiries.
“The club was notified this afternoon that charges have now been laid,” Donaghy shared with The Courier Mail. “We will respect the legal process and will continue to work with the NRL Integrity Unit on next steps as this matter progresses. Ezra is currently seeking external support, and we will give him the time and space to do so. As the matter is now before the courts, we are unable to make further comment.”
The Broncos are reportedly anticipating that Mam may face a suspension of two to three months, which would rule him out of NRL play until approximately May. Currently, the 21-year-old five-eighth is undergoing rehabilitation but remains in contact with the club, which has opted not to deregister or terminate him from the team.
Broncos head coach Michael Maguire also reached out to Mam before he began his rehab, expressing hope that the promising playmaker will take this time to work on himself and eventually rejoin the team, potentially starting in the Queensland Cup.
Maguire shared his thoughts, saying, “I’ve been in the game for a long time and seen many players go through different situations. People make mistakes, but they also have to own them—that’s crucial. If Ezra takes responsibility for where he’s at, his actions moving forward will be very important. He’s getting some help, and once he’s worked through that, I’ll have the chance to reconnect and assess where he’s at.”
This development adds a significant challenge to Mam’s career, though the Broncos organization and the NRL are seemingly supportive of providing him a pathway to redemption. His absence, however, will require the Broncos to make strategic adjustments, as they prepare for the season without one of their key young talents.
