Ezra Mam issued with NRL breach notice
By Alex Condon
The NRL has issued Brisbane Broncos star Ezra Mam with a breach notice after he pleaded guilty to drug driving and driving without a licence earlier this month.
The fine, suspension and now NRL notice came after his ute collided with an Uber in Brisbane’s west on October 18.
The Uber driver, a female passenger and her four-year-old daughter were taken to hospital with injuries – the latter with a fractured hip.
Broncos NRL player Ezra Mam arrives at the Brisbane Magistrates Courts last Monday.Credit: AAPIMAGE
The 21-year-old was fined $850 and had his licence suspended for nine months at Brisbane Magistrates Court last Monday, December 16.
He also received an infringement notice for failing to have proper control of a vehicle.
The NRL alleges a breach of the league’s Code of Conduct, saying the five-eighth “has engaged in conduct which is against the law and has brought the game and his club into disrepute”.
“Mam pleaded guilty to driving while a relevant drug was present in his blood or saliva and driving without a licence following an incident in October,” the NRL said in a statement.
However, the governing body also confirmed that until Mam responds to the breach notice, no exact details about his sanctioning or penalty can be revealed.
“In accordance with the collective bargaining agreement with the RLPA [Rugby League Players Association], information concerning the NRL’s proposed sanction will not be disclosed until the player has had the opportunity to respond to the alleged breach and the matter is finalised,” the NRL said.
Mam was heavily criticised over the incident, with state Attorney-General Deb Frecklington saying “for many Queenslanders, this outcome doesn’t pass the pub test” while Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie described the $850 fine and six-month licence suspension as “disgraceful” and a “slap on the wrist”.
However, new Broncos coach Michael Maguire said Mam had “learnt a lot from this moment”.
“It’s really up to him, but each day is a new day to make sure that he makes amends and keeps moving forward,” he said.
While he was yet to respond to the breach notice, Mam said after his court appearance last week that he was sorry for his actions and the resulting accident.
“Today is an important step in owning my actions and starting to make things right. To all the people involved in this accident, I’m truly sorry,” Mam said.
“This incident isn’t a reflection of who I want to be, or what’s expected of me as a role model. To the NRL, the Brisbane Broncos, the fans and my family, I’m sorry.
“I promise to work on being a better person and representative of the club and the game that I love.”
With Matt Dennien and William Davis