Why Michael Maguire and Broncos may consider playing Ezra Mam in reserve grade before NRL return

A quirk of the draw will give Michael Maguire a chin-scratching moment before he recalls suspended star Ezra Mam, possibly leading to a reserve grade return for the playmaker.

Hidden behind the Magic Round bushfires of high tackles and turf wars lies a looming challenge for the Broncos as they plan the comeback of suspended star Ezra Mam.

Mam’s ban for driving unlicensed with cocaine in his system in a head-on crash last October ends after Magic Round which means, to the game’s relief, this week will not be dominated by talk about why he was put in or left out of the side to play against Penrith.

Instead he becomes eligible to play against South Sydney in Sydney in Round 10 but there is a catch.

That is Women in League round and there may be discussion around the appropriateness of bringing him back to first grade against South Sydney in Sydney after his crash involving a female passenger and her daughter.

And there was always a feeling a first grade return should be not handed on a platter. Mam may yet have to go back and play Hostplus Cup for Souths Logan under the coaching of Karmichael Hunt.

Mam, ordered by the club to work on a building site during his time out of the game, has reportedly worked hard to redeem his shattered reputation and has said he is “truly sorry’’ for the incident.

Ezra Mam, Brisbane Broncos training, Red Hill. Picture: Liam Kidston

He had a lot of ground to make up.

When he was initially fined a meagre $850 by a Brisbane magistrate for drug driving without a licence this masthead was swamped with protests from angry readers including Craig Mackenzie whose stepdaughter Veronique Sakr was one of four children killed by a drunk and drugged driver when they were walking along a Sydney footpath to get an ice cream.

While the circumstances of Mam’s offending were very different, including no allegation Mam had been speeding or drinking, Mackenzie was so incensed with the small fine he offered to fly from Sydney to Brisbane to meet with this masthead’s reporters to discuss it.

Contacted yesterday, Mackenzie still feels Mam got off lightly – despite an additional $120,000 in fines from the Broncos and NRL – but hopes he has learnt from his mistake and “wished him all the best.’’

The scene of the car crash involving Ezra Mam. Picture: Channel 9

“Ezra Mam doesn’t know how lucky he is,’’ Mackenzie said.

“He was so fortunate not to have killed innocent road users last year, causing immense and irreparable traumatic grief to the impacted persons, their families, friends and the broader community. It could easily have been a very different outcome. We hope that the crash survivors are on the mend, both physically and emotionally.

“We sincerely hope Ezra seizes the opportunity he has been afforded to become a role model for road safety, to tell his story to others and lead by example in his actions, and by doing so help change attitudes within the community (and the judiciary) about dangerous and impaired driving. We wish him all the best.’’

How Brisbane perform against Penrith may decide Mam’s immediate fate. If they lose the pressure for him to return to the top squad will be immense.

If they win coach Michael Maguire may have the luxury of sending him back to play for Souths.

Originally published as Why Michael Maguire and Broncos may consider playing Ezra Mam in reserve grade before NRL return