- Ezra Mam tipped to play first NRL game of 2025
- Served nine-game ban following off-field incident
Footy legend Wally Lewis has outlined why he believes Ezra Mam must be ushered into Brisbane’s starting side as Michael Maguire’s men look to get their stuttering season back on track.
The misfiring Broncos have lost four of their past five games, and run the risk of dropping out of the top eight if they are beaten by St George lllawarra at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday, May 18.
Mam, who starred for Souths Logan in the Queensland Cup last weekend, has been suspended for nine games after serving a ban handed down by the NRL.
The five-eighth was involved in a head-on traffic collision on October 18 with an Uber in Brisbane which left a four-year-old passenger with a fractured hip.
At the time of the incident, Mam was driving unlicensed and had cocaine in his system.
Footy fans were furious at what many deemed a soft suspension for Mam – but Lewis believes his return couldn’t come at a better time.
Footy legend Wally Lewis has outlined why he believes Ezra Mam must be ushered straight into Brisbane’s starting team as Michael Maguire’s men look to get their season back on track
Mam has been suspended for nine games after serving a ban handed down by the NRL following an off-field incident last October
Lewis believes Mam’s combination with Adam Reynolds will be crucial if the Broncos are to be a genuine premiership threat in 2025 (pictured, playing for Souths Logan)
His combination with Adam Reynolds will be crucial if the Broncos are to be a legitimate premiership threat this year.
‘It is very handy for the Broncos to have two blokes like that in those positions who can adjust and take control,’ Lewis told AAP.
‘Ezra is a smart operator. He knows if there is an opportunity he takes off and makes the most of it.
‘(Also) when he gets himself in a position where there are no opportunities for him or Reynolds, he is smart enough to pass the ball and offer an opportunity to those outside him.
‘Ezra is able to react to any situation quickly, so that he can play a key role. It has been good to watch him do it.’
It was a ringing endorsement from former Broncos skipper Lewis, one of the greatest pivots to ever lace a boot.
‘The King’ is also encouraged by the way Reynolds has handled wearing the No.7 jersey at a club where comparisons to Allan Langer are constant.
‘Adam is such a key playmaker…..he can be creative or tip the ball on,’ Lewis said.
‘When he came to the Broncos he had plenty of people being a little bit critical and comparing him to Alf (Langer).
‘He’s handled that really well and I think everyone is extremely happy with the performances he has put on.’
