Ezra Mam’s NRL return has been put on ice, with the Broncos confirming that star No.6 will not play against South Sydney in Round 10.
Mam will instead make his rugby league return on Sunday for affiliate club Souths-Logan against Townsville Blackhawks, meaning he will not line up away against the Rabbitohs on Friday night.
The 22-year-old’s NRL-imposed nine-match suspension for driving with drugs in his system and without a licence has expired, and from this week he is available to play for the Broncos.
Ezra Mam. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
The Brisbane five-eighth had a head-on collision on October 18 with an Uber-registered vehicle, injuring the driver, a female passenger and her young daughter.
He was fined $850 and disqualified from driving for six months. Mam was also suspended by the NRL until Round 10 and fined $120,000 jointly by the NRL and Brisbane.
Mam has attended Broncos home games and trained with the side since January 7, after he had earlier attended a rehabilitation facility to help him deal with personal issues.
He was booed by a section of the Magic Round crowd on Sunday, a scenario the club is aware he will have to face in the weeks ahead.
Mam played his junior footy for the Goodna Eagles in Ipswich, but later linked with the Souths-Logan Magpies club.
He was the Queensland Cup rookie of the year in 2021 after a stellar season with the Magpies.
Mam made his NRL debut the following year away against Newcastle, before scoring three tries in the 26-24 grand final loss to Penrith in 2023.
Meanwhile, Canterbury are set to roll the dice at the NRL judiciary, seeking to overturn a three-game suspension for star forward Jacob Preston.
Preston was facing three weeks on the sidelines with an early guilty plea for a grade-two crusher tackle on Gold Coast captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui late in the Bulldogs’ 38-18 win at Magic Round.
The Bulldogs are already missing suspended forwards Sitili Tupouniua and Josh Curran for their away clash with Canberra on Saturday, but they get Matt Burton back from his one-game ban.
But they have decided to contest the charge. Preston has pleaded not guilty and will walk away with no suspension if successful at his judicary hearing on Tuesday.
Although he risks adding an extra week to his ban, which would put a line through his hopes of winning a NSW call-up for the State of Origin opener later this month.
South Sydney’s horrific injury toll has worsened with hooker Peter Mamouzelos in agony with a dislocated shoulder after the 30-4 loss to Newcastle.
The 24-year-old was assisted from the field in the closing moments of Saturday’s Magic Round clash. “He has got a dislocated elbow and they can’t get it back in right now, so he’s in a fair bit of pain actually,” Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett said.
The Rabbitohs already had eight players on the injured list and were missing suspended Latrell Mitchell.
Young fullback Jye Gray came off with a cork in his hamstring midway through the second half and is in doubt for Friday night’s showdown with Brisbane at Accor Stadium.
Reuben Cotter will miss North Queensland’s last two games before State of Origin after being charged for a high tackle.
All eyes had been on how the NRL would police high tackles at Magic Round after 18 sin bins last weekend.
While the league’s match review committee and on-field referees were on the same page for the first four games of the weekend, Cotter was not sin-binned for his shot but has now received a grade-two careless high-tackle charge.
Cotter went on report for his high shot on Marata Niukore ahead of the Warriors’ first try in their 30-26 win on Saturday night.
Reuben Cotter is tackled. (Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)
But the Cowboys co-captain was not penalised on-field, despite the shot looming as the most serious of the weekend so far.
With his early guilty plea, Cotter will miss clashes against Penrith and Manly, the Cowboys’ last two games before Billy Slater names his Queensland team for the Origin series opener.
No other players from Magic Round are facing a ban although the charge sheet for Sunday’s triple header will not be announced until Monday morning.
Round 10 teams
All times AEST
Eels vs Dolphins at CommBank Stadium: 7.50pm, Thursday May 8
Eels: Jake Tago (hip), Brendan Hands (knee) and Joey Lussick (thumb) are close to returning from long-term injuries but may be brought back via the NSW Cup.
Representative winger Zac Lomax is an outside chance of making a comeback from his foot injury.
Dolphins: Ex-Knights prop Daniel Saifiti (shoulder) is a question mark after sitting out Magic Round.
Knights vs Titans at McDonald Jones Stadium: 6pm, Friday May 9
Knights: No injury concerns for Adam O’Brien as they look to build on their win over Souths.
Titans: Front-rower Jaimin Jolliffe has one more match to serve for a grade-two careless high tackle on Cowboys forward John Bateman.
Young half Tom Weaver is out of action after suffering a heavy concussion in Sunday’s loss to the Bulldogs.
Veteran half Kieran Foran is close to making his first appearance for 2025 after a pre-season pectoral injury.
The Gold Coast’s Kieran Foran gets run down. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Rabbitohs vs Broncos at Accor Stadium: 8pm, Friday May 9
Rabbitohs: Latrell Mitchell is back after his latest ban for a high tackle while Jack Wighton (hamstring) is set to miss another three weeks after he was ruled out of Magic Round.
He could be replacing Jye Gray after the fullback suffered a hamstring injury in their loss to Newcastle while hooker Peter Mamouzelos is out for a lengthy stretch due to a dislocated shoulder in the closing stages of their Magic Round fixture.
Broncos: Ezra Mam is available for selection again for the first time this year after serving his lengthy ban for drug-driving offences. Star fullback Reece Walsh is still a fortnight away from a return from his knee injury.
Raiders vs Bulldogs at GIO Stadium: 3pm, Saturday May 10
Raiders: Canberra have a quick turnaround after squaring off with Melbourne on Sunday night in the final Magic Round affair.
Bulldogs: Matt Burton is back from his one-game ban but Josh Curran has one more match and Sitili Tupouniua is out another month.
Canterbury are set to roll the dice at the NRL judiciary, seeking to overturn a three-game suspension for star forward Jacob Preston.
He will cop four weeks on the sidelines if found guilty of a grade-two crusher tackle on Gold Coast captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui late in the Bulldogs’ 38-18 win at Magic Round.
Dragons vs Warriors at WIN Stadium: 5.30pm, Saturday May 10
Dragons: Winger Christian Tuipulotu (hamstring) is still no guarantee to return after missing the past month.
Front-rower Emre Guler (dislocated shoulder) is out, depleting their already stretched middle forward stocks.
Warriors: James Fisher-Harris (pectoral), Dallin Watene-Zelezniak (arm) and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (hamstring) could be back in what would be a massive boost to Andrew Webster’s team.
Rocco Berry (hamstring) and Ed Kosi (shoulder) are unlikely to back up from the Magic Round win over the Cowboys.
(Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
Cowboys vs Panthers at QCB Stadium: 3pm, Saturday May 10
Cowboys: Reuben Cotter is out for two matches on a high tackle ban which will rob him of the chance of playing before Origin I.
Panthers: Rep winger Brian To’o (hamstring) should be right after a month out while hooker Mitch Kenny is back after his hip-drop ban.
Storm vs Tigers at AAMI Park: 2pm, Sunday May 11
Storm: Will Warbrick (concussion) remains on the injured list alongside Harry Grant, who is hopeful of making an early return from his hamstring problem.
Tigers: Starford To’a was a late withdrawal from Magic Round due to a neck problem.
Sea Eagles vs Sharks at 4 Pines Park: 4.05pm, Sunday May 11
Sea Eagles: Middle forwards Jake Trbojevic (concussion) and Josh Aloiai (shoulder) are expected to get the green light but hooker Lachlan Croker (knee) is likely to be back in Round 11.
Sharks: Second-rower Teig Wilton (shoulder) is expected to be out for another week while fellow forward Siosifa Talakai (concussion) is set to miss the trip to Brookvale.
Bye – Roosters
with AAP
