NRL 2024 market watch: Brisbane Broncos confirm $4 million-plus Ezra Mam extension

Brisbane Broncos have rubber-stamped one half of their signing priorities after five-eighth Ezra Mam agreed to a monster extension to stay at the club. See details of the new contract.

Ezra Mam at Brisbane Broncos training at Red Hill. Picture: Adam Head

Broncos sensation Ezra Mam has agreed terms on a $4 million-plus extension in a major contract coup as Brisbane look to break an 18-year title drought this season.

Grand final hat-trick hero Mam has pledged his allegiance to the Broncos on a mega deal as part of Brisbane’s two-pronged retention plan to also upgrade superstar teammate Reece Walsh.

Mam was off-contract at season’s end, but the Broncos have moved swiftly to take the newly-minted Queensland Emerging Origin squad member off the market. The Broncos on Tuesday confirmed a News Corp report that they have rubber-stamped a five-year deal that will see Mam remain at Red Hill until the end of 2029.

“Ezra is a born-and-bred Bronco and it’s great that he is staying where he belongs,” said Broncos coach Kevin Walters.

“He is an exciting player but he also likes to get in there and do the tough stuff and to do what needs to be done for his team.

“We have only scratched the surface on what Ez can do – we’ll keep on working with him to improve his game and I can’t wait to see what we can achieve together over the years ahead.”

Just turned 21, Mam had attracted major interest from a number of clubs, including Brisbane’s expansion rivals the Dolphins, in the wake of his stunning tryscoring treble in the Broncos’ grand final loss to Penrith last year.

The Dolphins tabled a lucrative offer for Mam, who emerged as one of the rising stars of the NRL last year with a sizzling second season that saw him score 18 tries from 25 games – headlined by his grand final masterclass.

Ezra Mam will be at Brisbane until the end of 2028. Picture: Adam Head

Bronco #280 pic.twitter.com/M3pcaNS6HM

— Brisbane Broncos (@brisbanebroncos) February 6, 2024

But the Broncos have got their man.

The parties are putting the finishing touches on the deal, with a view to a formal announcement this week, but the one certainty is Mam is staying in Broncos colours on the richest contract of his career.

It is understood a five-year package is worth in excess of $4 million, just reward for Mam’s breakout 2023 season which has put him firmly in Queensland State of Origin contention.

Mam became the sixth player in rugby league history to score three tries in a grand final and just the second Bronco to achieve the feat after Steve Renouf’s treble to sink Cronulla 26-8 in the 1997 Super League grand final.

Given his bargaining power, Mam had the ability to test his value on the open market from November 1, but the Broncos have tabled a deal that is palatable to the Indigenous playmaker.

Mam was on around $250,000 last season and this upgraded deal will see his salary triple to become one of Brisbane’s highest-paid players.

Big-name teammates Payne Haas and Pat Carrigan inked three and five-year upgrades respectively last season and Mam told News Corp he is buying into Brisbane’s player pact to stay loyal in pursuit of the club’s first title since 2006.

“That’s my aim, to stay here at the Broncos,” Mam said on the eve of Brisbane’s 2024 pre-season.

“I want to start another generation here.

“It (signing a new deal) would definitely be a great opportunity to jump on the bandwagon here with the other boys and make the Broncos great again.

“Seeing Payne re-sign and all the other boys stay here, it’s a huge factor for myself.

“I’ll be here for a long time.”

Ezra Mam is one of the game’s most exciting players. Picture: Adam Head

Since offloading former $1 million man Anthony Milford, Mam has become a revelation at five-eighth, forging a lethal scrumbase alliance with skipper and halfback Adam Reynolds.

Since making his NRL debut in 2022, Mam has amassed 38 top-grade games and could wear Brisbane’s famous No. 6 jumper for the next decade.

With Mam secure at Red Hill, the Broncos will turn their attention to extending his attacking partner-in-crime Walsh, whose backfield brilliance played a key role in Brisbane’s charge to the 2023 decider.

The Queensland Origin fullback is off-contract until the end of 2025, but the Broncos are in talks to also hand Walsh a long-term upgrade.

Aiding contract negotiations, Mam and Walsh share the same manager in Nash Dawson, who has been in talks with Broncos hierarchy, including CEO Dave Donaghy and recruitment chief Simon Scanlan, for several months.

Mam could earn more elsewhere, but said he is prepared to make a financial sacrifice to ensure the Broncos can retain spinal members Walsh and Reynolds and construct a title-winning squad.

“I love the Broncos because of the culture and the professionalism of the club,” he said.

“It’s a great bond we have here and it’s important we keep this team together.

“Keeping that bond means a lot to me and I want to be part of keeping the bond here for a long time.”

Originally published as NRL 2024 market watch: Brisbane Broncos confirm $4 million-plus Ezra Mam extension