NRL Trials: Ezra Mam reveals the driving force behind his hunger to succeed at the Broncos
Brisbane young gun Ezra Mam has vowed to uphold a deathbed promise to his grandparents not to waste his shot at NRL stardom with the Broncos — and he gets his first crack this weekend.
Brisbane young gun Ezra Mam has revealed how the death of his biggest supporters — his grandparents — is his driving force in his quest to partner marquee halfback recruit Adam Reynolds in the famous Broncos No.6 jumper.
Mam will officially launch his Broncos career on Saturday night when the promising playmaker makes his senior debut in Brisbane’s season-opening trial against Wynnum Manly at Kougari Oval.
And the 19-year-old has vowed to uphold a deathbed promise to his grandparents Pamela and Steve, who in their last moments outlined their enduring wish for Mam not to waste his shot at NRL stardom with the Broncos.
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There is no shortage of confidence in Brisbane’s scrumbase sensation.
Mam will call the shots alongside Tyrone Roberts at Kougari and says the words of his grandparents are ringing in his ears as he chases the hotly-contested five-eighth spot for the premiership opener against Souths on March 11.
“It’s going to be my first time in a Broncos jersey, so I will be pretty proud to represent the club,” Mam said ahead of his showdown with the Seagulls.
“I am motivated to do well, especially after I lost my grandparents in the last two or three years. It was pretty tough losing them. It hit me really hard.
“Growing up, they were the ones who raised me. The stuff they did for me, putting me through school, and the sacrifices they made for me, it’s another reason to move forward with rugby league and do well at the Broncos.
“Before they passed away, they said they wanted me to follow my dream with the Broncos and I will be holding their words close to me when I run out this weekend.”
Tyson Gamble and Albert Kelly are the frontrunners for the No.6 jumper given their NRL experience, but Mam could be Brisbane’s rookie bolter this season following his meteoric rise at Red Hill.
Mam was a revelation in the Intrust Super Cup last season, winning rookie-of-the-year honours with 13 tries in just 11 games, including a hat-trick on debut, and says he would relish a round-one NRL baptism against the Bunnies.
“I believe I’m ready for the NRL,” he said.
“If you get chosen in an NRL squad, you have to be ready.
“The Broncos have picked me in the full-time squad for a reason and if ‘Kevvie’ (Brisbane coach Kevin Walters) picked me, I wouldn’t let him down.
“I do have a lot of learning to do, but it’s been great working with Adam Reynolds, Tyson and ‘Alby’ (Kelly) at training. My mentality is I have to back myself. At this level, everyone has talent, so it’s important you have confidence in your ability.
“I want to play NRL one day, so you can’t doubt yourself.”
Reynolds has taken on a mentoring role with Mam and the new Broncos skipper has been blown away by the Indigenous playmaker’s natural talent.
“Ezra is one guy who has caught my eye in pre-season,” Reynolds said. “He has great awareness ... Ezra has the world at his feet.”
Mam is one of several rising stars who will take on Wynnum, with back-rower Brendan Piakura and lock Kobe Hetherington also keen to press their claims for Broncos jumpers in round one.
“I’m a bit nervous, but I’m excited to get out there in Broncos colours,” Mam said.
“I will stick to the team structure, but if I see something on I will back my ability and take the opportunity with both hands.”
Broncos to blood lightning-fast youngster
Brisbane’s production line is in full swing with the Broncos to blood a teenage backline whiz-kid rated one of the club’s most promising centre talents since the legendary Steve Renouf.
Classy Palm Beach Currumbin flyer Deine Mariner will make his senior Broncos debut in Saturday night’s trial opener against Wynnum Manly at Kougari Oval after an impressive pre-season at Red Hill.
Still just 18, Mariner is considered the best emerging centre in the code after a blistering 2021 campaign that saw him dominate the Queensland rugby league scene on his way to selection in the Australian Schoolboys.
The Broncos have produced some fine centre talents headlined by Chris Johns, Gene Miles, Justin Hodges and Renouf, who remains Brisbane’s greatest tryscorer with 142 from 183 games during a brilliant 11-year career between 1988-99.
Now Queensland rugby league scouts believe the Broncos have found another budding NRL superstar in Mariner, who will come off the bench in jumper No.20 in Brisbane’s season-opening hitout against the Seagulls.
Well-built and explosive, Mariner has been added to Brisbane’s NRL squad as a development player and Broncos head of football Ben Ikin believes it is only a matter of time before the centre sensation debuts in the top grade.
“Deine is express,” said Ikin, the ex-Broncos pivot who also graduated to the NRL from the Palm Beach Currumbin system.
“He is still very early in his career and has much to do, but Deine has all the natural ability in the world.
“For all those guys who have been blessed with those sorts of gifts, the next phase is being able to do it for 80 minutes every week, not just the stuff that ends up on the highlight reels, but all the hard work on the other side of the ball.
“Deine and Blake Mozer (hooker) are two impressive young talents. They were at high school last year and they have been included in training with the top squad over summer. They are both handling it really well.
“Deine has impressed all of us with his raw natural ability.”
Born in New Zealand, Mariner began his career with Marist Saints in Auckland before being snapped up by Broncos scouts.
The strike centre was Brisbane’s fastest player in 40-metre sprints in pre-season and terrorised opponents in the Queensland junior-league system last year. He starred for Tweed in the Mal Meninga Cup and carved up in the Queensland Schoolboy championships final, having a hand in six tries – including a hat-trick himself – in PBC’s 62-0 defeat of St Brendan’s College.
A rival NRL scout said of Mariner: “The kid is a superstar. The Broncos have a special talent on their hands. He is good enough for the NRL this year. I wish we could sign him.”
Mindful of poaching raids that cost the club Reece Walsh (Warriors), Sam Walker (Roosters) and Xavier Coates (Storm), the Broncos have moved quickly, securing Mariner until the end of 2024.
“Deine has done well in the Broncos Academy and the (senior) coaching staff are now getting to understand who he is, how he plays and what his strengths and weaknesses are,” Ikin said.
“He was a member of the Australian Schoolboys last year and he has played centre, but like most talented backs they can bounce between wing and fullback.
“He is a beautiful ball runner and very, very quick. It’s hard to say when he will play NRL, that’s a decision for the coaching staff, but he’s definitely got the tools to get there.”
New Broncos skipper and former Souths halfback Adam Reynolds has been blown away by Mariner’s ability. Asked to nominate which Brisbane players have impressed him in pre-season, Reynolds said: “Ezra Mam (rookie playmaker) and Mariner have caught my eye. Ezra has the world at his feet and Dean is quick.
“I can see the powerful young kids coming through and hopefully the Broncos can hold onto them for the future.”
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