Mam reveals personal struggles
On Friday night, Ezra Mam was involved in a head on collision with an Uber driver. A roadside drugs test revealed that he was under the influence of drugs during the crash.
Mam and the Brisbane Broncos had been silent after the player’s car crash and failed drugs test on Friday. Both sides broke their silence on Monday.
In the evening, Mam and his representatives revealed that the 21-year-old has sought “immediate professional treatment” and that he had “voluntarily entered rehab” on Monday morning.
“Ezra is extremely remorseful,” the statement continued, “He is concerned, first and foremost, for the other parties involved and understands the enormity of the current situation.
“He acknowledges he’s facing some personal challenges and, following these recent events, has taken a proactive step by seeking immediate professional treatment.
“We will continue to support him throughout this process and will not make any further comments at this time.”
Broncos boss speaks out
Just hours before Mam and his team released their statement, Broncos CEO Dave Donaghy spoke about Mam and the crash on 4BC’s breakfast radio show.
“We haven’t had a discussion internally in depth, we want to ensure that we’ve got all the information so we can make the right decision for us,” Donaghy revealed to radio host Peter Fegan.
“From a club’s perspective, we’re very disappointed to find ourselves in a position like this,” Donaghy added.
The Brisbane chief executive also revealed that he had spoken with Mam after the incident. According to Donaghy, Mam was remorseful and apologised to Donaghy for putting the club in a bad light.
“In my conversation with Ezra, he’s apologised for putting the club in this position, and certainly his concerns have been for the others that were involved in the accident,” the Broncos CEO said.
Donaghy continued, saying that Mam has to realise his fortunate position and needs to grow up quickly.
“He’s a young man, he’s a 21 year old, but unfortunately, in this industry, you need to grow up quickly. It’s a very privileged role,” he said.
Donaghy also revealed that he and new head coach are working to address the “cultural issues” at Broncos that derailed their season in 2023.
“We certainly are clear that we want our program to be performance-led. We don’t want it to be lifestyle-led, and we know that’s going to take a hell of a lot of hard work,” he said.
Despite the many off-the-field problems, the Broncos are among the top betting sites favourites to win the 2025 NRL Premiership. PlayUp and other NRL betting sites give Brisbane $11 chances of winning. Only the Melbourne Storm ($3.50) and 2024 Premiers Penrith Panthers ($4.50) have better odds.
