Broncos identify surprise option for Adam Reynolds successor
Brisbane captain Adam Reynolds will be 34 when his contract expires at the end of the 2024 season, and a Bronco has made his ambitions clear he wants to take his captain’s position.
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Broncos young gun Ezra Mam has revealed his desire to move from five-eighth to halfback in his quest to become Brisbane’s successor to champion No.7 Adam Reynolds.
On the eve of Brisbane’s clash against the Raiders on Saturday night at Suncorp Stadium, Mam told News Corp of his ambition to eventually embark on a positional switch to be the main man running the Broncos’ offence.
‘Electric Ezra’ has emerged as one of the hottest five-eighth prospects in the code and Mam is relishing the golden apprenticeship he is serving operating outside Brisbane’s talismanic halfback Reynolds.
But with Reynolds entering the twilight of his career - he is off-contract next year and turns 33 in July - the Broncos must have a halfback succession plan in place and Mam covets the No.7 jumper made famous by Allan Langer.
“I would love to become a ‘seven’ (halfback) here,” said Mam, who plays his 20th NRL game in the round 6 showdown with the Green Machine.
“I still have to develop my game management, but I am learning from ‘Reyno’ every week and he has been a great mentor for me.
“Right now, while Adam is there, obviously I’m enjoying five-eighth and he is making my job easy as a six.
“But eventually, I would like to steer the team around as I get older.
“As a kid, I played fullback or lock until I got to under-15s and everyone started running over me, so I decided to become a ball-player.
“It’s been a great learning curve at six alongside Reyno, but eventually I want to turn into a halfback.”
A positional switch for Mam would open up the possibility of fullback sensation Reece Walsh moving to five-eighth to solidify the Dynamic Duo combination the young guns have forged in the opening five weeks of the 2023 season.
While Walsh is entrenched in the No.1 jumper for now, Broncos coach Kevin Walters, who himself was equally adept at five-eighth or halfback during his decorated career, believes Mam has the guile and vision to one day be Brisbane’s No.7 general.
“I certainly think Ezra can play seven,” said Walters, who won four Broncos premierships as a five-eighth before switching to halfback for their 2000 grand-final triumph.
“Right now, he is mastering the No.6 jumper.
“One of the things we are always working on with Ezra is his talk.
“He can go a bit quiet out on the field when he gets a bit tired or things aren’t quite going his way, so we are working hard on his communication with the spine and with those around him.
“But Ezra has come a long way over the past 12 months. He brings good energy and while attack comes naturally to Ezra, I really like what he has brought in defence this season.”
The Broncos have a history of legendary five-eighths, headlined by Wally Lewis, Darren Lockyer and Walters, and Mam says he is acutely aware of the importance of upholding Brisbane’s legacy in the No.6 jumper.
The 20-year-old has also forged a lethal partnership with new recruit Walsh. Mam’s childhood heroes Matt Bowen and Johnathan Thurston were the Cowboys’ attacking partners-in-crime and the Indigenous ace is keen to build a similar alliance with Walsh.
“We are just trying to build our own connection,” Mam said of his understanding with Walsh.
“We are trying to be our own players and if we form a good connection, hopefully we can turn out as good as those two players (Bowen and Thurston) did.
“Reece and myself have a good combination. We have the ability to switch roles. Sometimes he will step up and be the ball-player and I can go to the back.
“We have the freedom to pop up where we want and that has worked well.”
Mam said Reynolds has encouraged his junior halves partner to over-call him this season if required.
“Last year, Reyno took good care of me, but this year he is letting me play footy,” he said.
“He said, ‘If you see anything, just take it’, so he is there to steer the ship around, but also lets me have some freedom with ‘Walshy’ to play what we see.
“I hold the Broncos’ history (of great playmakers) close to me and use that as a bit of motivation for myself to go out and play good footy.
“The people who have worn the No.6 jersey and the success that they have had, I want to keep that success rolling for myself and the team.
“It’s definitely good having the six jersey at the moment.”
DONE DEAL: KEVVIE CLINCHES $1.7M BRONCOS CONTRACT BONANZA
Kevin Walters has clinched a $1.7 million contract extension as Broncos bosses back the club legend to continue his ‘Kev-olution’ and break Brisbane’s 17-year premiership drought.
News Corp can reveal Walters has formally agreed terms on a two-year extension in a major coup for the Broncos coach ahead of Saturday night’s clash against Canberra at Suncorp Stadium.
Walters was off-contract at season’s end and Broncos hierarchy have been locked in delicate negotiations for the past six months with the coach’s management over a new deal laced with performance bonuses.
But the parties have finally shaken hands, with Walters locked in until the end of 2025 as he ramps-up plans to deliver Brisbane’s seventh title and first since 2006.
The two-year extension, plus a financial upgrade for 2023, is sweet reward for Walters, who has coached the Broncos to the top of the league this year with a perfect 5-0 record - their best start to a season in 25 years.
Brisbane board member Darren Lockyer confirmed Walters is staying at Red Hill and said there were no concerns about the extension collapsing, lauding his former teammate’s resurrection of the Broncos.
“Kevvie has done a wonderful job,” Lockyer said.
“He has done a really good job to create that enjoyment factor for the players.
“Winning helps but they want to play with each other as you see after the game in the dressing rooms.
“It is really good to see those things and Kevvie has played a massive part in it.”
Asked why there had been a holdup in contract negotiations, Lockyer said: “I just think it is because everyone is busy. But we don’t feel like it (the new deal) is going to blow up and it won’t happen.
“It is just a formality really.
“Dave (Donaghy, Broncos CEO) has done a great job as well and Simon Scanlan (recruitment chief) has come in.
“Not disrespecting the previous (regime), but the mandate (under Donaghy and Walters) was stability.
“We just had too much churn with players and staff and we had to stabilise the club.
“Those guys have been integral in getting that done.”
News Corp understands the new deal will see Walters’ salary instantly increased by $100,000 to around $550,000 this season.
The fresh two-year extension is worth an estimated $600,000 annually. The beefed-up Walters contract is also bolstered with incentives that could see him earn an extra $400,000 if he hits a number of performance targets for making the finals, the top four and winning a premiership.
A title breakthrough could see Walters’ salary reach $1 million _ and that is a distinct possibility as early as this season with new recruit Reece Walsh transforming Brisbane into genuine premiership contenders.
The Broncos were a club in crisis when Anthony Seibold delivered Brisbane’s first ever wooden spoon in 2020, but his successor Walters has gradually presided over a Red Hill revival.
After finishing 14th and ninth in Walters’ first two seasons in charge, the Broncos are now ladder leaders and Brisbane stars have hailed the positive culture ‘Kevvie’ has instilled in his title mission.
Walters, who has won 25 of 53 games as Broncos coach, said he won’t be satisfied until he scales the premiership summit at Red Hill.
“We’re not there yet, but I love my job and the march from that moment when I came here in 2021 has always been forward,” Walters said.
“We’re not finished yet.
“My word we have more to achieve, it’s only early days really, but the Broncos have a history of winning premierships and I have great faith in this team to build their own era.”
Broncos skipper Adam Reynolds said Walters has been pivotal in hauling Brisbane out of the premiership cellar.
“I’m pleased for Kevvie,” Reynolds said.
“He is a good coach and a great mentor and he bleeds what the Broncos are about.
“There is no better man to take this club forward. He is a very passionate person and he wants to get the club back to the top again.”
EXCLUSIVE: BRONCOS SEAL BUMPER DEAL FOR ‘BEST SINCE RENOUF’
Brisbane have ramped up their $4 million retention drive with boom centre Deine Mariner signing a lucrative three-year contract extension to succeed Dolphins defector Herbie Farnworth at the Broncos.
News Corp can reveal Mariner is the latest Bronco to ink an upgraded deal in a major coup for Brisbane as they look to break the club’s 17-year premiership drought.
The signing of Mariner is another retention boost for ladder leaders the Broncos, who are shooting for a sixth consecutive victory in Saturday night’s clash against Canberra at Suncorp Stadium.
The 19-year-old is rated the club’s finest centre prospect since Steve Renouf and Justin Hodges and will remain at the Broncos until the end of 2027.
Expansion rivals the Dolphins had Mariner on their radar last year, but the Australian Schoolboys sensation is staying loyal to the Broncos.
Brisbane last month secured Origin forward Pat Carrigan to a five-year mega deal, upgraded Jesse Arthars on Tuesday and now Broncos recruitment-and-retention chiefs are locking up Mariner.
Broncos coach Kevin Walters confirmed the retention of Mariner.
“Deine has been developing very nicely as part of the Broncos system for a number of years now and he was rewarded for that hard work this season with elevation to the NRL Top-30 squad,” he said.
“He earned his NRL debut last year with us and has benefited from a full pre-season with the top squad leading into 2023, and we are really happy with his continued improvement and application to his training.
“Deine brings a lot to the table in terms of speed and skill and I’m impressed by him as an individual off the field as well – we are thrilled that he will be part of what we are building here at the Broncos in the years ahead.”
Speaking exclusively to News Corp, Mariner’s manager Dixon McIver dismissed concerns the young gun could quit the Broncos, who lodged a complaint to the NRL integrity unit last year amid fears the Dolphins were circling.
“We had to get Deine over the hurdle from last year and all the palaver that went on with the Dolphins, the Broncos and the NRL integrity unit.
“Deine loves the Broncos, he has always loved the Broncos. He has supported the club since he was five years old.
“The best part for him is he biding his time and learning his craft.
“There is a pathway for Deine at the Broncos.”
McIver’s final statement is a reference to the Dolphins’ successful poaching raid on centre teammate Farnworth, who will leave the Broncos at season’s end to link with Wayne Bennett at Redcliffe.
Farnworth’s exit clears the path for Mariner to slot into his favourite position at centre and forge a lethal strike force with Kotoni Staggs.
Mariner is Brisbane’s fastest player over 40 metres. Underlining his talent, the New Zealand-born flyer has scored four tries twice in just 12 games for feeder-club Wynnum Manly in the Queensland Cup.
Brisbane coach Kevin Walters handed Mariner his NRL debut last July against Wests Tigers and he has been 18th man this season in a sign the Broncos are ready to unleash the backline sensation.
Broncos five-eighth Ezra Mam said Mariner, a schoolboy star at Palm Beach Currumbin High, is one of the most talented players to emerge from Brisbane’s Academy.
“Deine is a very special talent,” Mam said.
“The speed he has got, he is the fastest guy at this club.
“I met him when I was 14 at one of the Academy camps and it’s good to come into the NRL squad with Deine.
“He is a classy player and I hope he stays with us.”
While he was virtually guaranteed a starting spot at the Dolphins, Mariner recently told News Corp he is happy to serve his apprenticeship at the Broncos with a view to replacing Farnworth next season.
“The history with the Broncos and being a fan since I was a kid … that makes it more special to get the jersey and play with the squad,” Mariner said.
“I have always honoured the saying that, ‘For those who are patient, good things will come’.
“I am a big believer in that. So every week I keep knocking on the door and trust the coaches to make the right decision for the week.”
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