NRL 2023: Ezra Mam and Adam Reynolds the key to Broncos final hopes
Two years ago Ezra Mam was an unknown standing in the middle of Suncorp Stadium, now he’s a bona fide star; PETER BADEL and JOEL GOULD detail his meteoric rise.
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They are the master-and-apprentice team primed to propel the Brisbane Broncos to this year’s NRL grand final.
Veteran Broncos captain Adam Reynolds and young gun teammate Ezra Mam are the scrumbase duo who hold the key to a Brisbane victory in Saturday night’s preliminary final against the Warriors.
The Broncos last tasted NRL premiership glory in 2006 and if they overcome the Warriors in the 52,000-sellout elimination blockbuster at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane will play their first grand final since 2015 on Sunday week.
For 20-year-old Indigenous five-eighth Mam, his rise to NRL stardom has been as meteoric as it has been mesmerising.
Just two years ago, he was a complete unknown, a teenager standing on Suncorp Stadium as part of the Wagga Torres Strait Islander Dance Company when Broncos and Storm stars ran out for the NRL’s Indigenous round on May 27, 2021.
Incredibly, on the very same date 12 months later, Mam was back on centre stage at Suncorp, this time wearing Broncos colours for his second NRL game against the Titans.
Fast forward to today and Mam is now a bona fide NRL star whose speed, dancing feet and attacking brilliance have underpinned his rapid rise in the famous Brisbane No.6 jumper once worn by Wally Lewis and Darren Lockyer.
Mam plays his 37th top-grade game on Saturday night and says he is daring to dream of a maiden premiership with the Broncos just two wins away from smashing the 17-year title drought.
“It (the premiership) is that close now that you always think about it,” said Mam, who made his NRL debut against Newcastle in May, 2022.
“It would be awesome to win a premiership at the Brisbane Broncos.
“It’s been a while now since the club did it, but it will take a good game this weekend against the Warriors to get to that grand final stage and that’s our focus right now.”
The magical Reynolds-Mam scrumbase partnership has been the cornerstone of Brisbane’s emphatic charge to title contention this season.
They are the NRL’s Odd Couple ... but their diversity is dynamite.
Reynolds is the heavily-tattooed, 33-year-old father of four born in Sydney deep in Rabbitohs territory.
Mam is 13 years his junior, has no kids and holds a burning desire to play State of Origin for Queensland, matched by his passion for his Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage.
Ezra’s late grandparents, Steve and Pamela, helped raise the Queensland under-18s whiz-kid in the Ipswich suburb of Goodna and were inspirational First Nations community leaders.
Pamela was a trailblazer for Aboriginal and TSI health. She was one of the first Aboriginal nurses in Queensland and, along with Steve, was a co-founder of the Aboriginal and TSI Community Health Service.
The Broncos pivot’s mother, Tomasina, watches her son proudly from a distance on Hammond Island, near Thursday Island in the Torres Strait.
On February 14, 2008, a five-year-old Mam was on the front page of The Courier-Mail to mark the historic apology to the Stolen Generations with the headline “now for the future”.
He may not celebrate his 21st birthday until January, but Mam is mature beyond his years and relishes his role as a Broncos Indigenous ambassador for the Deadly Choices program.
“That Indigenous side of me is pretty special,” says Mam, who attended Ambrose Treacy College in Indooroopilly.
“Growing up with my grandparents, they were very strong on culture and the family is still very culturally oriented.
“When we lost them it was heartbreaking for myself. My grandparents pretty much raised me. They were the ones that did everything for me and my brother and sister.
“Representing my people means a lot to me.
“It was pretty cool being part of the dance group at Suncorp. I remember seeing the Broncos and Storm boys run out, I got to dance before the game, hoping I would one day be good enough to play for the Broncos at Suncorp.
“Now, I’m lucky enough to be here, it’s very special.”
Since joining the Broncos last year from Souths, Reynolds has sensationally reignited his career.
The 272-game stalwart says the Broncos have helped him fall back in “love” with the game after his shock split with Souths and his unlikely simpatico with Mam is an undeniable factor.
“Guys like Reece Walsh (fullback) and Ezra keep me young,” Reynolds says with a laugh.
“Ezra and Reece are two young fellas who are extremely driven. They are winners, they are competitors, they hate losing and it’s a good trait to have.
“Ezra is always picking my brain and asking questions about how to get better. I wish I had done that more when I was a young fella.
“I like his courage and his will to take on the line. His improvement this year, particularly in defence, has been huge.”
Mam says watching the mastery of Reynolds from close range is a priceless NRL education.
“Getting to play with him for as long as I have, it’s a great privilege,” he said.
“Reyno lets me do my thing and just puts the ball in front of me where I need it.
“He is very helpful in team meetings. He breaks down where we should be playing and how we should be playing.
“Having Reyno on the field is the best way to learn, you get to see it first hand.
“I’m not really nervous. I don’t worry about the pressure of the finals. I’m just very excited to play with Reyno again and hopefully next week as well (in the grand final).”
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