- Scandal rocked Brisbane before the club recovered to win the premiership
Brisbane Broncos coach Michael Maguire has revealed how he addressed the situation relating to star half Ezra Mam after his drug-driving incident early last year.
The 2025 premiership winner joined the Broncos at the beginning of the season after tasting success with the NSW Blues in State of Origin a year earlier.
His first test was to control the already inflamed situation Mam found himself in following a drunk-driving incident in which he almost killed a mother and daughter.
‘I think we had a couple of conversations around his early days, and I was very fortunate that I met Ezra probably six years prior,’ he told Karl Stefanovic.
‘I tried to sign him at a previous club that I was at.
‘I got to know Ezra, and I got to know his mum and the family and how they are as people, and that’s what I always went back to.’
Michael Maguire (pictured right of Karl Stefanovic) has opened up about how he dealt with Ezra Mam’s criminal situation just weeks into his tenure as Brisbane Broncos coach
The two-time NRL premiership winner (pictured) has explained his long-standing connection with Mam
Brisbane’s five-eighth (pictured) returned after a long layoff in 2025
Maguire was left impressed with how Mam took accountability for his actions.
‘The way I saw Ezra own what he’d been through,’ Maguire added.
‘He obviously got himself some help, and he then went to work for 10 weeks straight.’
Mam was charged with drug driving and copped $120,000 in fines from both the Broncos and the NRL.
This was after he crashed his car into an Uber in October 2024.
After a nine-week layoff, the Broncos half returned to the squad and performed well in a number of matches.
He then played a major role in the side’s finals charge, with an important contribution in the grand final victory against the Melbourne Storm.
The Broncos star remains one of the most polarising players in the NRL due to his actions.
Michael Maguire (pictured) coached the Broncos team to their first premiership since 2006
Mam (pictured with Maguire) played a key role off the bench in the decider
The Broncos coach (pictured) will hope to lead his side to back-to-back premierships this year
Mam was booed by spectators during last year’s decider.
He also received a negative reception when walking onto the podium to receive his premiership ring.
Brisbane play the Penrith Panthers in the opening round of the season.
Penrith will be out for revenge following their preliminary final defeat at the hands of the premiers in 2025.
